Not sure..

[BrumBee]

I live on a horse stud with my mum ( I get to train all the little foals and ride the youngsters ) and we're making a large chicken coop with sections for hens, oldies, roosters and chicks. Mum wants to let the chickens roam free throughout the day but I'm worried that ( and a couple would ) some of our horses might step or kick them. I was thinking of putting a hip length portable fence around the area where the coop will go. Where I want it to go would be plenty big for the chickens. Any second opinions or advise?

 

[donrae]

I used to have free range chickens with my horses and never lost a bird to a horse. I did have them drown in water troughs, though.

 

[Peeps61]

I can only speak for myself, but I have 3 horses that are pastured. My chickens, when free ranging, go out into the pasture to eat the feed the horses drop while they are eating! The horses pay them no mind at all. The chickens avoid their feet quite well. If you free range them, they will also scatter the manure the horses leave. I have also seen my horses out in the pasture with cowbirds picking bugs off of their legs and faces. They don't seem to even notice the birds, or they know that they are doing them a service. Cowbirds are small, white herron lookng birds. You can give it a try, and if it doesn't work, then coop them up. (The chickens, that is.)