Ample Room? (Run Question)

[Morgan7782]

Alright, I have a run question. I have a fenced run for my chickens that is 12 feet long by 9 feet wide, and their coop is raised well off the ground so that doesn't take up any footage except the cinder blocks.

But they seem unsatisfied.. I do let them free range but whenever I have to go out to run errands or something I put them in the run. Is it only because "the grass is greener on the other side"? sort of thing? I only have 2 eleven week old pullets, and I am pretty sure 12 x 9 feet is big enough, but they seem like they want to be out free ranging all the time. Just looking for a bit o' reassurance, do other peoples chickens always want out of the run whenever you are outside the run? Thanks.

Just to reiterate, I only have 2 young girls at the moment, both standard breeds, and their run is 12 x 9 feet.

 

[TACEYPERKINS]

That should be completely adiquite! Yes, my chickens always get that way when they go in to! So no worries, what you are experiencing is normal. You can through some weeds, fresh dirt or grass in the coop when you put them away to give them something to do. Or maybe give them a small mud puddle, they like that in the heat of the day. Good luck!

 

[gryeyes]

PLENTY of room. The "guidelines" for runs recommend 10 sq ft per chicken. 12 x9 = 108, divided by 2 = 54 sq ft per bird.

And yes, they just want out at those goodies they've already had a chance to taste! Plus places to explore, scratch, dig holes, dust bathe, run and flap and jump and hop around in.

 

[teach1rusl]

They have ample room, and are lucky little chickens that you give them so much space. But they would still love to be out of the run...maybe the grass is greener...maybe the best bugs are on THAT side...who knows??? lol If you can let them out while you're home to supervise, do it. And if not, then DON'T feel guilty, because they have a very roomy run! I do usually let mine out while I'm home, and have begun planting shrubs (and raspberries) inside the run area to make it more appealing to my girls for when they're contained. You might try that. You may have to chicken wire the plants off until they establish themselves, but by next year they should be good to go

 

[Morgan7782]

Thanks all lol I am glad this is not abnormal!

They are free in the yard all day except maybe an hour or so when I run errands. There are always people here, but whenever I am not home, they are put in the run. The reason for this is my house has a bunch of people, all family, but it's a big house/family, and people tend to leave my dog outside with the chickens and just go inside forgetting to bring him with them. Now, my dog has not made a move to kill a chicken, but I know well enough to NOT leave him unsupervised with them without the run fence protection. And so unless I happen to leave, they are outside free. They maybe spend 2 hours max in the run through a day.

Although... Yesterday the poor babies had to be locked in the coop while me and my mom brought the kids to costco to go shopping. Their run is somewhat janky so I don't feel comfortable leaving them in there when NOBODY is home. But trust me, that is a very very rare occurance. I live in a house of 6-8 people lol

Yesterday was cooler though, and they have total shade, along with a ice waterer and a frozen bottle of water, so they didn't get to hot when we ran errands. And the top of their coop is open, it's a huge dog crate with hardware cloth on the top, but no solid roof. (at least when it's summer, in winter they will have a roof

)

Oh! And about the rasberries! Ohmygosh my girls LOVE the rasberry plants we have! Oddly enough they don't like or bother the growing corn, squash, cucumber, tomatos, peas, beans and other various plants. We even have a fig tree and I keep reading how chickens love figs, but my girls have zip interest. Maybe their tastes will develope as they get older?