Official BYC Poll: What Do Your Chickens Live In?

[Chicklady707]

Coop, run and free range for 2.5 hours each evening on 2 acres. My 2 Pearl White Leghorns and 2 Whiting True Blues have been escaping their 6’ high run with their flighty behavior but will soon be putting poultry netting over the run to solve that issue. Speedy the Bielefelder roo paces when any of the 15 girls are out of the run without him. My flock will be 20 weeks on Monday, Oct 19 and still no eggs . Some pullets have bright red combs, are squatting and Speedy has been mating with some so I am thinking eggs will be any day now.

 

[WVBirdsAndBees]

Coop + run with regular adventures in the 2 acre yard.

We have 3 coops, all with connected runs and 2-4 nesting boxes. We have a few escape artists who range when they want. Otherwise, they get to come out a couple evenings a week. The runs are big enough but they enjoy exploring as well. Today, 4 went about 150 yards away from their coop to visit the goats. That's about as far as they go. The only group that doesn't seem too interested in wandering are the silkies.

Most use the provided nesting boxes but my oldest cream legbar lays where she wants, which has meant the nesting boxes, poop shelf, run, and under a bush in the yard.

 

[HappyClucker7]

I keep my chickens in a coop + enclosed run, but I let them out into a fenced in area for about an hour at least once per day (with supervision). I can't let them free range because my neighbors live very close, nobody has fences, and there are lots of predators around. I try to let my chickens get lots of exercise every day though.

 

[Vickischics]

I lock my girls up in their coop after they go in to roost. In the morning, I let them free range 3 acres. Most all of it is fenced. The lil unfenced area is very thick and undesirable for them and they don't tend to go in there.
I had a run, but I removed it today.
I will be putting up another run in a different area for enclosed times but, for now they are outside. They always seem to stay within an ear shot because everytime I go outside, I call them for a head count.
Plus I have a Four Legged Rooster watching over them all day. Lol

 

[melissamc]

Ours have a shed that has been modified into a coop. They have a fenced in run that is approximately 1/4 acre? and then they free range daily on our 7.5 acres.

 

[DesertGrrl]

Coop only (it's very open air).
10x10 (and 8 feet height).
I spent exactly 1 week building it from wood and I just need to add the finishing touches (roosts and nesting boxes).

It's not safe in my area to free range chickens (lots of predators).

 

[melissamc]

@Chicklady707 Our True Green Whitings like to show off their straight jump skills over our 5.5 foot tall fence too. I'm thinking of using the netting over the top for awhile until they learn...

 

[Biring]

We have a coop for some of our chickens, others prefer to roost in trees. Our nestboxes are on our front and back terraces - not ideal but a temporary solution until we build our chicken barn. The chickens range up to about 100m in all directions from our house.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Chicken/garden area

99% under the house and in my garden....

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

We have a coop + run and free range setup. Fully fenced 1 acre area with guard emus. Except there are two coops and all of the doors open up in the morning so they can all mingle.

Free ranging is definitely risky. Lost a few birds this year to coopers, but the emus have kept the attacks to a minimum the last few months.


This is the smaller coop. No attached run. Houses about 30 birds.

The main coop that houses 25 to 30 birds. Haven’t counted lately

They go out in groups to collect bugs, but some hang back at the coops. Or play under the cedar trees, they use the branches as a jungle gym.

Built a tractor coop thing for a grow out coop.

Then built a duckhouse (that they don’t use) and now use it to house chicks/brooder.