ke ...
so sorry to read about the loss of your little cochin to an aerial predator. Every now and again I let my 3 youngsters out to free range for a half hour or hour before I put them in the 2nd smaller pen. I must go to the window every 5 minutes to check them -- I'm so on edge! I don't know how you free-rangers do it! I love seeing them wandering in the yard, though, and they do enjoy the freedom! I notice they stick very close to the coop and tend to move around it, but not very far from it.
Tonight I was fussing a little over the big drop in the temperature (predicted). I have been leaving the coop door open (there's a screen door for protection) most of the summer. Tonight, I closed it, along with the big window. I only have the smaller window open a few inches for ventilation. Hopefully, the girls are starting to acclimate to cooler nights.
TOB