Can my hens stand on my patio all day?

[Erin K]

So you may have heard we had some nasty animal dig into our coop. Our solution was to move the coop onto the patio at night and weight it down. (It's just a light little chicken tractor type thing) That is working fine and everyone seems happy.

But today we were so busy and such that we never moved it back onto grass. Fed them and all of course, just didn't give them the grass time.

Is that going to be ok occasionally? Or even for a weekend if we travel? Does it hurt their little feet to walk on the patio all day? I know they prefer the grass because they can dig it up and eat it and hunt bugs and such.

 

[JulieNKC]

Mine used to sit on mine all day. Their choice, they wanted to be by the door in case I came out with treats. I got sick of hosing off the poop all day long, so they are now fenced away from it, but I wouldn't think it would hurt your girls to be left on it occasionally.

 

[shelleyd2008]

It won't hurt them. The grass and all is good for them but if they don't get it they aren't going to die

Several breeders raise their birds in cages (think 'rabbit cage') and they never get greens or grass time.