Fox 1, me 0

[lovemybuffy]

Hello chicken lovers,
I have lost 2 of my precious chickens to wildlife over the past 3 months. A hawk and a fox. My chicken run is 8'×20'. I have 8 hens left now and my rooster. And I have 6 chicks that will be joining in another 2-4 weeks. My question for the forum is whether the chicken run will still be of acceptable size for the 14 hens and rooster. I let the chickens out of the coop to hang out in the run in the mornings about 9 a.m. Then I let them free range at 2 o'clock until they return to the run and the coop. As soon as they coop up, I lock them in. It was during the free range that my 2 chickens were killed. I am considering keeping them in the chicken run and no more free range. But I am concerned about the space and square footage. What should be the correct sized run for a 2 year old rooster, 8 one year old hens, and 6 chicks 2-3 months old ?
Any advice is highly welcome and appreciated.

 

[Cassandra Lana]

I think that sounds good. That’s about 10sq feet per bird. If you want to make the most of your space you can add jungle gyms and perches.

I am not sure how much space you have but if you wanted you could fence in a temporary “second run “ and “free range” them in that instead. moving it when they start wearing down the grass.

 

[neo71665]

I think that sounds good. That’s about 10sq feet per bird. If you want to make the most of your space you can add jungle gyms and perches.

I am not sure how much space you have but if you wanted you could fence in a temporary “second run “ and “free range” them in that instead. moving it when they start wearing down the grass.

How my setup is. I have a main covered and well secure run that I can leave them in while I'm gone. If I'm at home I have a not so secure run that is just cheap chicken wire that only purpose is to limit where the birds can go. How I have it done is the chicken wire run is split into 3 so I can block one section off. Just rotate the locked off section out as they eat the grass out of the other 2.

 

[lovemybuffy]

I think that sounds good. That’s about 10sq feet per bird. If you want to make the most of your space you can add jungle gyms and perches.

I am not sure how much space you have but if you wanted you could fence in a temporary “second run “ and “free range” them in that instead. moving it when they start wearing down the grass.

Thank you for your response. I have thought of having a second, moveable run. Now that the fox knows where they are, I fear more attempts. The coop has a locked door so I think they are safe.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello chicken lovers,
I have lost 2 of my precious chickens to wildlife over the past 3 months. A hawk and a fox. My chicken run is 8'×20'. I have 8 hens left now and my rooster. And I have 6 chicks that will be joining in another 2-4 weeks. My question for the forum is whether the chicken run will still be of acceptable size for the 14 hens and rooster. I let the chickens out of the coop to hang out in the run in the mornings about 9 a.m. Then I let them free range at 2 o'clock until they return to the run and the coop. As soon as they coop up, I lock them in. It was during the free range that my 2 chickens were killed. I am considering keeping them in the chicken run and no more free range. But I am concerned about the space and square footage. What should be the correct sized run for a 2 year old rooster, 8 one year old hens, and 6 chicks 2-3 months old ?
Any advice is highly welcome and appreciated.

Personally, I would do everything I could to enlarge the run. IMO 10 sq ft/bird is not enough space. It will get dirty fast and with a pending integration, it's going to get ugly.
Certainly add some branches to perch on in the run, a good layer of substrate like wood chips for them to scratch through and dust bathe in, old wooden chairs to perch on (I snag these for free all the time when I see them out at the curb on garbage morning), whatever they might want to fly up on or dig around.

 

[Cindymac]

So sorry for your loss. Fox have been an issue here in the past and a hawk did kill one girl and came back the next day for another attempt that I was able to thwart. We too don't let out the girls until we are home , but the fox was bold enough to come through the yard when I was there anyway. If your going to keep them in, a larger portable area is best so they don't eat all the grass in one spot.