AD - What a nice barn.
Stony - I saw a program once where there were wild chickens living on the compost pile of a town. Don't remember where. I think it's neat that you can leave yours out. How do they do in the winter? Do you lose any? The personality of breeds is why I stay away from certain breeds. I got rid of the bantam Brn leghorns cuz I would have been chasing them to kingdom come. Once they got out that would have been the end of that. I can hear my neighbors now, chickens living in the trees. I hear they complain about my roosters crowing but apparently don't mind the dog barking. Nutters! Truth is my roosters don't crow that much. I'm home most days.
Happy -
I know what you mean bout locking them up. Good garden o' peas, I've read some posts about predators where some have practically served them up on a silver platter. Around here I'd be out of business in one night. I once had a hen get out of the fenced in yard and I was out there in my bathrobe at midnight with a flash light cuz I thought I heard her. It's just who I am. But like I said I don't keep certain breeds cuz they are just to wild and can fly. I don't like unfriendly breeds. I like big and heavy.