Backyard Fowl Keepers

Hi everyone,

We have a small flock of four hens, and Im looking for advice on keeping them safe while we go away for a week in April. Normally, they have plenty of space to roam, including a secure coop, a covered dust-bathing area, and a large fenced yard where they spend most of their time. Occasionally, they hop the fence and explore beyond, but when we leave for a short weekend trip, we usually just leave their gate open so they can access the entire yard freely.

That worked fine until November, when we were gone for just one night and lost a hen to a raccoon. I suspect that when were home, the frequent presence of our dogs keeps predators away. Otherwise, we havent had any issues.

Now, Im debating the best setup for our upcoming trip. Should I let them have access to the whole yard as usual, relying on their automatic coop door to lock them in safely at night? I can monitor the door remotely to ensure theyre all inside before it closes.

Or should I reinforce their smaller covered area with hardware cloth and keep them confined to that space along with their coop for the entire week? Theyd be safer, but I worry about them being unhappy with the sudden restriction.

Id love to hear from others who have left their chickens for an extended time. What setup has worked best for you? Thanks in advance for any advice!

We did something similar but left a radio playing on a timer near the coop to deter predators. It seemed to work!

If your yard is fenced well and they're used to it, I'd probably let them roam. Just make sure there are multiple water sources in case one gets knocked over.

Since you can monitor the coop door remotely, I'd say letting them have the yard is fine. But I'd also set up a game camera to see if predators come around at night.

Do you have a trusted chicken sitter? Even someone stopping by once or twice could make a difference in keeping them safe.

I'd keep them in the secured area, but if you want them to have more space, maybe extend the enclosure with temporary fencing.

You might also consider adding extra entertainment for them if you confine them,like a hanging cabbage or a dust bath.

Chickens are smart, but raccoons are smarter! I'd keep them in the reinforced porch area. They'll adjust, and it's only temporary.

Could you set up an extra layer of fencing around their normal area? That might deter predators while still giving them space.

I'd prioritize safety over space, especially since you've already had a raccoon incident. Hardware cloth around the porch area sounds like a good compromise!