Suddenly chickens lol

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Leftwich08 said:
I've seen coops that are just wire and apparently fencing poles with a cover for when it rains but that just seems so little to me, like it wouldn't actually work not the size.
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The chickens need to be safe from predators and from bad weather (rain, snow, wind, too much sun).

If the wire keeps out the predators, and the tarp keeps out the weather, and you leave enough area open for ventilation, that can make a very good home for chickens. Of course you have to replace the tarp when it wears out, but it's pretty fast and cheap compared to most other ways of keeping the weather out, and it sounds like you need fast and cheap.

Something to watch out for: some wire is much better than others at keeping out predators. "Chicken wire" with hexagon-shaped holes is not good for this. It can keep chickens in, but will usually not keep predators out. Wire with large holes will let a predator reach in (raccoon). Wire with small holes is sometimes made with thin/weak material (window screen and some hardware cloth, especially the stuff with tiny little 1/4" holes.) The common hardware cloth with 1/2" holes is sometimes a good compromise. Some people layer hardware cloth (small holes) over another kind of wire (much stronger wires but bigger holes).

People often do build solid permanent buildings to keep their chickens safe from predators and weather, but the chickens do not seem to care whether they have that or whether they have a wire-and-tarp structure. Given a choice, they would often choose to live outside and sleep in trees or bushes, at least until a predator gets them. There's nothing wrong with planning for something better in the future if it's what you want and can afford, but for now it looks like you need to find something effective, fast.

Leftwich08 said:
wanted to see if I could get some help so my day can have a bit less chicken shepherding. Six plus hours a day is literally spent just making sure nothing tries to eat them.
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As you mentioned, electric net might work.

A dog kennel might work for daytime. I'm thinking of the big metal kind that goes outdoors, 10 feet square or so. It will stop some predators (average pet dog) and delay others (dog or coyote that digs under will have to spend time digging, instead of immediately grabbing a chicken). If it has some kind of top, it will also stop birds like hawks. It will typically have big holes, so tiny chicks can walk right out (I think yours are too big to do that), small predators can go right in (weasels and snakes), some predators can reach in (raccoon). But for daytime use, to give them some protection and keep the chickens out of dangerous places like roads, it can be very useful. If you can find someone who wants to get rid of a dog kennel, it can be a great deal price-wise. If you would have to buy it new, you would probably save money by choosing some other options, but you might at least look at prices before making assumptions either way.

It is common to have something predator-proof for nighttime (bringing them into your own housing is sometimes a way to deal with that) and something larger but less secure for daytime (like a fence or pen that deters predators but will not completely stop them.)

Since you are currently spending so much time herding chickens, you might even consider a pen that keeps them in one place without stopping predators, so you can be near them doing other things but not have to watch them as closely. But I wouldn't spend a lot of money on such a thing. For example, I wouldn't buy chicken wire for the purpose (not good enough against predators, spend a little more and get something better) but I would use it if it someone gave it to me (contain chickens so they stay near me while I do other things, with me being the actual predator protection, then get something better when possible).

Leftwich08 said:
One rooster and three (I hope) pullets. I think three of them are Rhode Island reds and one pullet is a Rhode Island white. I was going to be rid of them but...
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Those three chicks are fairly young. I can tell because they have not even got a full set of feathers yet (some down visible in places.) For as large and colorful as the combs are in the picture, at that young age, I think you might have some males there. If they are males, that will probably become more obvious over the next few weeks. They are about the right age for someone to have sorted out the males and females and be getting rid of the males.

It is certainly possible to keep a group of roosters as pets. They may be less likely to fight if there are no hens at all, as compared with several roosters and not enough hens.

Since you say you have been researching chickens: you may want to consider just butchering these (especially if the young ones turn out to be males as well), then arranging suitable chicken housing before getting any more (if you decide you do want to have chickens when you have time to get set up without rushing.)
 
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