Leave them out all day or lock them up?

[berkchicks]

Hey guys! Our chickens are free range during the day and someone is always home to keep an eye on them.

If we go out for an hour or two we put them in their run. Their run has a high fence but is exposed aerially.

We will be away from our home for basically the entire day today (7+ hours).

I am obviously not going to let the chickens free range during that time but what I am wondering is do I just put them in the run and hope for the best? Or do I lock them in their coop for seven hours?

I would feel awful locking them up in the coop for that long, but I know that the alternative (just keeping them in the run) exposes them to predators especially since we won’t be back home until after dark.

I guess I know the answer (lock them up) but want a little reassurance that that much time in their coop will be ok.

Their coop is *just* the right size. Of course i wish it was a bit bigger - but I think I always will lol (so I can get more chickens )

 

[slippednfell]

I guess I know the answer (lock them up) but want a little reassurance that that much time in their coop will be ok.
(so I can get more chickens )

Although I am a novice to chickens, we had ours locked up for a few days while we built their run and they did just fine.

Maybe give your chickens a hanging head of cabbage or something similar to peck at and entertain themselves while you are gone.

Good luck!

 

[imnukensc]

I free range daily whether I'm here or not. I certainly don't lock my hens in a coop and especially wouldn't do it in the kind of weather we have down here. I could keep them locked in their run, but I don't do that, either. Have I lost chickens to predators? Yes, but the benefits of free ranging to me and the chickens is a price I'm willing to pay. Everyone has to make their own choices and do what they're comfortable with doing.

 

[cheekychick3]

Hi, how many chickens do you have.??? I guess this is a hard one to answer.
As 7 hrs is a long time for them to be cooped up. We all know how anxious they
become when we let them out in the morning. It is also funny when they all cannot wait to
go to bed either. lol As if they have done a hard days graft. lol Is there anyone you know, + can trust to look after them, when you go. Of course they would also need to stay with them, if they are in run, as it is also exposed. Even if it is only a few hours,
then again, will they be easy to get them back in, early. What would you want to do,
as it sounds you would relax more, by locking them up. You said the coop is big enough,
so i think, they should be fine. Make sure you leave plenty of water food ect, and few treats, so they do not get bored. I am sure others will reply soon, but it sounds if you
have nobody to watch them, then lock them up. Because wherever you are going, you will worry all day about them, and at least you know, nothing can get at them, from outside.
Sorry i cannot help more, like i said it is a hard one to answer, if you only have a few
and they have space, maybe locking them up, will be for the best. Oh and how hot is
it where you are, as that will also need thinking over. Good luck .

 

[Mrs. K]

If you coop is tight, I would leave them in the run with the option of going into the coop. You could get a net to cover the top of your run.

I would worry about heat build up inside a coop with it filled to the max with birds that create a lot of heat, and the summer temperatures. That could kill all of them, verse a possible arial predator getting a bird.

Mrs K

 

[TexasLisa]

It is a choice only you will be able to make. I have left for church with my flock free ranging to come home with them all dead. I have been in the house and had my flock attacked. I believe I can say we have all had to deal with losses.

If I am going to town, my flock stays in the Outer Pen with access to the coop. I have put fishing line over the Outer Pen to keep the flying predators out. The Outer Pen has an electric wire running along the bottom.

You do the best you can to protect them. Good luck with your choice.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd let them have access to the run for the day, and then immediately order some netting for the top of it so in the future, you know you'll have a more secure area for them when you won't be available to watch them.

 

[Lisa G.]

I would put net on top of your run. I have built a number of covered runs that attach to my coop (thank you Garden Coop Plans) which works well. I used to let them out in our "chicken yard" but then a raccoon got 3 of them.