- May 2, 2010
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Howdy All,
So, I have four nice ladies who are about 2 months old. Coop/run is 18' x 3.5'. Weird dimensions I know, but it runs along part of the back fence of our yard. On one end is the semi- enclosed coop part -- a ladder goes up to a few laying boxes and their night roost. I feel it is a decent amount of space for four hens. But I can't help but feel bad I'm not letting them just go wild in our yard. Thing is, I have 2 small kids and 2 dogs and a landscaped yard and I really don't want chickens picking away at our yard and pooping where the kids play. I could built additional space for them, and I am thinking about it...but I can't afford it now (plus my husband would think I'm crazy.) Do you think chickens can be happy if they enclosed- even if the space is technically big enough? They seem happy, but then again, they don't know what they are missing....
So, I have four nice ladies who are about 2 months old. Coop/run is 18' x 3.5'. Weird dimensions I know, but it runs along part of the back fence of our yard. On one end is the semi- enclosed coop part -- a ladder goes up to a few laying boxes and their night roost. I feel it is a decent amount of space for four hens. But I can't help but feel bad I'm not letting them just go wild in our yard. Thing is, I have 2 small kids and 2 dogs and a landscaped yard and I really don't want chickens picking away at our yard and pooping where the kids play. I could built additional space for them, and I am thinking about it...but I can't afford it now (plus my husband would think I'm crazy.) Do you think chickens can be happy if they enclosed- even if the space is technically big enough? They seem happy, but then again, they don't know what they are missing....