Okay so I don't have my chickens yet. Have the breeds picked out and know where I plan to purchase my chicks in Spring, but for now I am content to learn all I can so I will be ready to be a good mom! LOL I read chickens need at least 10 square feet of space each for grazing. I will have a portion of my yard fenced off so the chickens will be able to free range in their yard all day and there will be a feeder outside. I plan to make grazing trays so they don't totally ruin the grass and they always have some green stuff to forage on. I do not plan to have a feeder inside at night. If they free range and they have a feeder outside will they get the right amount of nutrition. I read another post that said her chickens didin't touch the feeder outside because they free range all day. Now I'm worried they won't eat the right stuff to be healthy. At night I will close the chickens inside. I'm so paranoid about attracting rats. Am I just being overly nuts or what?