The Tao of the chicken. Help.

[Unobtanium]

I am ignorant of chickens. I know what they sound and look like, and that air, food, and water are necessary. That's about the limit of knowledge for me so far. I work at night, and sometimes am not home anywhere near sunset. Do chickens wait until dark to go home, or do they set out at 5pm for home even in summer? I don't want them out late at night. There are bad things waiting to do bad things to them. I am home well after sunrise when I work, too. I don't want them getting antsy to go outside either. The coop has a 60 sf run. I want 6 or so hens and one rooster.

Will they be cool staying in on nights I work, and free ranging on days I am home and can let them out at 4am and home at 8pm, or will the change in routine harm them in some way? How should I manage this situstion?

 

[pennyJo1960]

I think you very smart to look at that way Welcome to Backyard Chickens I think they will adjust to your schedule days or nights better to leave them in your not home lots of hardware cloth to protect them maybe even hot wire deterrent

 

[Unobtanium]

I think you very smart to look at that way Welcome to Backyard Chickens I think they will adjust to your schedule days or nights better to leave them in your not home lots of hardware cloth to protect them maybe even hot wire deterrent

They have the capacity to adjust to a 4on, 3 off nightworker schedule? I figured they would be limited to daily routine only. Impressive! I will leave them in during nights I work, and let them free range during the day on nights I am off.

I analyze things. It's part of who I am and what I do. Thank you.

 

[pennyJo1960]

They have the capacity to adjust to a 4on, 3 off nightworker schedule? I figured they would be limited to daily routine only. Impressive! I will leave them in during nights I work, and let them free range during the day on nights I am off.

I analyze things. It's part of who I am and what I do. Thank you.

You will make a great chicken keeper then where bout's do you live adding it to your profile helps us to figure climate and such things

 

[aart]

You'll want/need a totally predator proof coop and run.
So you can leave the coop door open to the run.
They don't care if you are around as long as they have feed and water.

 

[Unobtanium]

You'll want/need a totally predator proof coop and run.
So you can leave the coop door open to the run.
They don't care if you are around as long as they have feed and water.

The coop is the run, I think? It's a 60sf area.

 

[pennyJo1960]

he was referring to the coop building minus the run it is near impossible to secure a run
enough to allow access at all times

 

[Unobtanium]

he was referring to the coop building minus the run it is near impossible to secure a run
enough to allow access at all times

How much of a run is needed? I am confused. I thought I had a combo coop+run.

 

[aart]

How much of a run is needed? I am confused. I thought I had a combo coop+run.

The coop is where they sleep at night, the upper part of the coop/run combo.
The run is the screen lower part of a coop/run combo.
The space are sized separately,
General minimum rule of thumb is:
4sqft per bird in the coop.
10sqft per bird in the run.

it is near impossible to secure a run enough to allow access at all times

It is not impossible to make a run secure 24/7, it's just expensive.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Their instinct would be to go into the coop at sunset. You could invest in an automatic door for the coop that would open/close at sunrise, sunset, or even on a set timer.