Daytime - Do hens go in and out of the coop? Or do they stay outside during the day and inside at night? Or...?

[SoCalRooster]

I'm still figuring things out, here...especially placement of my coop and run (neither of which I've built/bought yet). I apologize for my 'slow learning curve' - !

 

[centrarchid]

Coop by my definition is a relatively small off the ground pen. You can operate it where they are confined day and night with fewer birds, or only at night with release in to a run or free-range where you can have more birds. I try to size for worst case scenario.

 

[DogAndCat36]

First, you would need to lock the hens into the coop for a couple of days, I lock them in for three days, some people lock them in for seven. Then in the morning the hens will carefully go outside and be carful on the first months but then they will stay outside basically most of the day when they get more comfortable. When it gets close to night, they understand that the coop is home and they will go there for the night.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I keep my chickens in a large pen till an hour before sunset when I let them free range in my yard.
My chickens go in the coop several times daily to eat (feeder is inside coop), to lay eggs and if weather is bad (blizzard conditions, wind blown rain).
Otherwise they hangout under the raised coop to dust bathe or stay cool in the summer or to stay dry when raining.
Sun bathe, scratch around in the pen when I toss some scratch grains for a daily treat.

Eating and laying.

Sun bathing.

Searching for Scratch.

Community dust bath under the coop.

Free Ranging.

GC

 

[rosemarythyme]

My hens only go inside the coop for 1) nighttime 2) to eat 3) to lay 4) really bad weather (heavy rain, snow, FLOOD). Otherwise they want to be outside all the time.

 

[SoCalRooster]

My hens only go inside the coop for 1) nighttime 2) to eat 3) to lay 4) really bad weather (heavy rain, snow, FLOOD). Otherwise they want to be outside all the time.

>>>Thank you! Do you keep their food and water inside the coop?

 

[rosemarythyme]

>>>Thank you! Do you keep their food and water inside the coop?

Food inside, to keep it dry, water outside, to keep the coop dry.