Coop or not to coop... nope, the run is the question.

[MrsAuberry00]

I'm worried about being a bad chicken mom. I've posted similar queries before, but as I still feel like a big meanie-head, I'm going to ask again.

After losing two hens in two days to predators in November, I've kept my three remaining hens inside their coop/run area. Occasionally, I let them out for a half hour or so near the end of the day when I can be outside with them. It seems that every time I let them out, one particular hen ends up with loose stools. So now I finally get to the point... am I doing the hens a disservice by keeping them in the run where they are unable to peck and scratch in the grass for tidbits? Their 6' x 12' run has a sand floor which makes it simpler for me to go in and scoop poop and fluff once or twice a week as needed, but I'm worried that by keeping them in the run, (where I see them scratching and pecking at who knows what,) they are more susceptible to worms or illness. However, if I let them out, they eat bugs and who knows what and are exposed to the opportunity for picking up nasties. Am I darned if I do, or darned if I don't? Can some experienced chicken tenders weigh in here? I want healthy AND happy chickens.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Do you use chemicals on your grass?

 

[Cryss]

If they can't go to the garden bring the garden to them. I toss all manner of greens stuff, vegetables, weeds, whatever I would have composted, into the run. They have a ball scratching through and eating good stuff. Bugs from my garden get thrown in. Boy do they love snapping up a Japanese beetle. I plan to plant a "garden" in one end of the run. It will be a raised area with chicken wire or 1x2 wire above itprotecting the ground. Grass can grow through it without them scscratching it up. Taller plants could have a tomato cage covered in the same wire so they can only eat what grows through.

 

[Alaskan]

If they can't go to the garden bring the garden to them. I toss all manner of greens stuff, vegetables, weeds, whatever I would have composted, into the run. They have a ball scratching through and eating good stuff. Bugs from my garden get thrown in. Boy do they love snapping up a Japanese beetle. I plan to plant a "garden" in one end of the run. It will be a raised area with chicken wire or 1x2 wire above itprotecting the ground. Grass can grow through it without them scscratching it up. Taller plants could have a tomato cage covered in the same wire so they can only eat what grows through.

Yes! Those are excellent suggestions!

 

[aart]

Am I darned if I do, or darned if I don't? Can some experienced chicken tenders weigh in here?

Pretty much.
My birds are confined 24/7/365. Sometimes if feel a bit guilty they don't get to romantically range amongst the greenery...until I see a hawk hit the run roof or a canid hit the run wall. They have a large coop and runs with roosts and other stuff to climb on. My birds seem pretty content and I do 'bring them some garden' on occasion. Plenty of bugs to dig for in the semi-deep litter in the run.

It seems that every time I let them out, one particular hen ends up with loose stools.

Just when she's out... or for days afterwards?

I plan to plant a "garden" in one end of the run. It will be a raised area with chicken wire or 1x2 wire above itprotecting the ground. Grass can grow through it without them scscratching it up.

Grazing frames?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/grazing-frames.73645/

 

[Ridgerunner]

After losing two hens in two days to predators in November, I've kept my three remaining hens inside their coop/run area.

Good decision if you want living chickens.

am I doing the hens a disservice by keeping them in the run where they are unable to peck and scratch in the grass for tidbits?

With that much room for three hens yours are much better off than most backyard set-ups. Stop feeling guilty.

I'm worried that by keeping them in the run, (where I see them scratching and pecking at who knows what,) they are more susceptible to worms or illness. However, if I let them out, they eat bugs and who knows what and are exposed to the opportunity for picking up nasties. Am I darned if I do, or darned if I don't?

Life is a trade-off. You have to decide what is important to you. You can worry yourself sick with what-ifs. All kinds of things are possible, some more likely than others. I see nothing wrong with the way you are managing them.

 

[Cryss]

Grazing frames?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/grazing-frames.73645/

Yes! Exactly that! Thank you for the link!

 

[MrsAuberry00]

Do you use chemicals on your grass?

No.

Just when she's out... or for days afterwards?

Anywhere between 2 to 7 days after.

So yesterday morning after scooping the coop and doing my good morning routine with the girls, I was gazing into the lovely spring sky when.... BAM.... I see a stinking hawk. I felt much less guilty.

 

[aart]

Anywhere between 2 to 7 days after.

Could be coincidental.

 

[Shadrach]

It's very easy to get the wrong idea of what free range chickens lives are like. The pretty pictures of lovely green fields with chicken roaming around grazing on all those wonderful bugs and plants isn't ime a very accurate picture.
If you give chickens unlimited space they are very unlikely to make use of it. The chickens here free range and have for generations. Each group here, there are 4, have a territory although there is some overlap. Very roughly each group roams in an acre area. Game fowl and jungle fowl may make use of a larger area. Very roughly the four groups stay within sight of the human dwellings so they kind of rotate around their coops and feeding points. There are 12.5 acres of this property and a National Park surrounding it.
So, the idea that unlimited space is 'what chickens want naturally' is wrong ime.
For most of the day the chickens here seek cover and stay in it. They tend to make a foraging trip out from time to time, usually mornings and evenings. During the rest of the day they seek shelter from the sun and predators and make trips back and forth to nest sites.
It is very rare to see chickens in an open field here. Open ground is dangerous.
So, in my view keeping chickens in a run isn't really the problem. It's the size of the run and what's in it.
One major advantage of a properly built run is the chances of losses to predators is much reduced.
I lose some chickens to predators every year. It's not exactly a wonderful experience. The chickens here breed, sit and hatch future generations and this isn't possible, or even wanted for many chicken keepers. I lose at least one quarter of the eggs laid; that's fine for me but not for others.
I get lots of injuries, spend hours hunting for nest sites and spend a great deal of time worrying about who will and who won't make it home at dusk. Lots of people who want to keep chickens just don't want these things.
So, despite being a free range enthusiast in other circumstances I would keep chickens in a run.
It would just be a very large run with shrubs and small trees and lots of hiding/places of interest.
It is possible to make such runs.
My advice would be instead of worrying about whether you should or shouldn't keep your chickens free range, put that energy into making what space you can give them interesting and safe.