Welcome to BYC! I have my three hens in a 4x6 coop, which is huge for them, but I'm hoping that eventually this town will allow more, so I had them make it big. There's a 6x8 covered fully secured run attached to the coop, and they can come and go as they please. When the weather is such that I can handle it - given my problems with heat and sun, usually early mornings or late evenings - I give them free range time, and I'm out there with them, and usually a cat or two along as well. They seem very happy and healthy with this arrangement. They occasionally wander back into the coop and run even during free range time, so clearly they're not unhappy to be there.
Our cats knew our chicks from a young age, and were unable to get into the brooder when they were tiny, and later were given supervised time to meet them. They've never tried to hurt them - but one of the hens chases the cats.
and Welcome to Backyard Chickens!
