They have a pretty big space to goof around in. If you saw the pictures, they also have the space to the side and behind the garage. As you can tell, my neighbors are close, no roosters in the city! I feel so guilty leaving them in the coop. It is a great coop, but like you said, not where they want to be. Supervised outdoor time was great, about 15 degrees ago. Its getting too cold and windy for that now. I sort of thought that I would just accept the risks so the chicks can be happy, until the risk landed in my backyard.We have ALOT of hawks around here where I live...I free range all day and have been for several months. I have not lost a chicken yet. I know there are great risks taken to let them range. My chickens LOVE being out and free doing what chickens do....I love to watch them range and be free....if I penned them up I don't believe they would be very happy. Do you have a rooster? I don't believe my rooster would provide complete safety, however he does seem to be more intellegent than the hens and sounds the alarm and the hens hide. He always keeps a watchful eye out for hawks. For me it is about the quality of life not the quantity. If something happens I will have to accept it as part of raising chickens. You can only do so much and then let nature take it's course. Sounds like you have done what you can to provide safety. I am sorry for your loss...it is not your fault it is the nature of raising and keeping livestock low on the food chain.