Attention: Sometimes we receive a commission when you make a purchase through the links on our site.
If I had to compare backyard chickens to another household pet, I would compare them to a cat. As long as they have everything they need, they are typically good to go. You open the chicken coop door. You fill their feeder and their waterer. Oh and do not forget the treats. They HAVE to have the treats. But maybe you have to work crazy hours. Maybe you accidentally slept longer than you intended. Or maybe you are leaving town for the weekend. Sometimes, the chickens just have to stay in their chicken coop for awhile.
So the question is: Can chickens stay in their chicken coop all the time? From my experience, I would say yes, backyard chickens can spend a whole day or even two in their chicken coop and be just fine. But no, they can not live permanently in just their chicken coop.
Before We Continue
Before we continue though, let’s make sure that we have our terminology in sync. When I say chicken coop, I am meaning the structure with solid walls that provides your backyard chickens protection from the elements. There is a separate piece called the chicken run. I have also seen it referred to as a pen as well. This is typically attached to the chicken coop. It usually has walls made from chicken wire or hardware cloth.
When I say that your backyard chickens can not permanently live in just their chicken coop, I mean they can not live shut in their chicken coop without access to a chicken run or pen. That does not mean they have to have access to your full backyard and gardens. A LOT of people who keep backyard chickens keep them exclusively in just a chicken coop and a chicken run. All right, now that we are on the same page, let’s continue.
Why Not
Sometimes, for me, the weekend comes and I want nothing more than to just sit in a comfy chair with a good book. I could stay there pretty much all day. Minus eating time. I do not like eating in the comfy chair. But if you tell me I can not leave my house, then I start to feel boxed in. Suddenly, there are way too many people in that house. Your chickens are the same. You will notice some days, they will rarely leave the chicken coop. Other days, you would be hard pressed to get them back inside.
There are several factors that make it not ideal for chickens to be cooped up (pun intended) for long periods of time.
Anxiety: Backyard chickens really like routine. Spending all day in a small chicken coop is not normal. The longer they are there, the more anxiety builds. After awhile, the pecking order gets challenged. Bossy hens start exerting dominance. This can lead to a loss of feathers and sores from hens being pecked. See above.
Boredom: Have you ever had a long layover while flying? At first it is not too bad. You walk around the terminal, look at some shops, maybe get something to eat because you do not want to pay $100 for a bag of chips on the plane. After a fairly short amount of time, you have seen all there is to see, so you start making up things to do. Games to play. Your hens will be the same way. One game they like to play is “What is this in the nesting box.” Not the best title, I know. Pretty soon your chickens will start pecking at their eggs. Once they have broken the shell, they will taste that egg and chickens love eggs. And once one chicken discovers something, pretty soon, they all know. Egg eating can be a hard habit to break as well.
Excess Poop Build Up: The ammonia and hydrogen sulfide from their poop breaking down can be dangerous if there is not adequate airflow. Plus, any poop build up, let alone excess poop, is just a pain to clean.
Temperature: This is especially true in the summer. If their chicken coop does not have proper shading and air flow, the temperatures can get really warm with the hot summer sun blaring down on it.
If You Gotta, How Do You
Sometimes, for whatever reason, your chickens will just have to be locked up in their chicken coop for a bit. It really is not the end of the world, no matter what the chickens tell you. So if you have to keep them cooped up for a bit, make sure you have things in place to try and keep them as comfortable as possible.
Chicken Coop Size: A good rule of thumb is to for your chicken coop to have at least three to four square feet of floor space for every chicken. In addition, it is recommended to have at least ten square feet per chicken for a chicken run. Some people will have a little less space in the chicken coop but make up for it with more chicken run room or with free ranging. If you know there will be times they will be in their chicken coop for extended periods, really try to have at least four square feet.
Food and Water: This probably goes without saying…BUT…make sure their food and water are inside the chicken coop. And make sure they are full. You really do not want to jeopardize their health by starving them.
Safe Spaces: For the lowly hen that is getting picked on, having a safe space is invaluable. One good option is having two different roosting bars, at different heights. Another is having multiple nesting boxes. Or even a nesting box with curtains in front. If anxiety starts to build, these are great ways to allow your backyard chickens to get some space and breathe a little.
Peck Toys/Treat Holders: Pictured above. These are genius ways to keep your backyard chickens entertained. They have to put a little bit of effort into getting their treats.
Alternatives
There are several ways to make keeping backyard chickens work with your property and with your schedule. You do not have to be outside spending hours with your happy backyard flock. All of the backyard chickens I have ever had, exactly zero, none of them, wanted to spend time with me. Oh yeah, they wanted whatever food and treats I had for them but that was it. Maybe I just put off a vibe or something. So what are somethings you can do to keep your backyard chickens happy by getting them of their coop and you happy by making your life easier.
Automatic Chicken Coop Door: These are a perfect solution for a lot of people. You can set them to open at sunrise and close at sunset or set them to open and close at a specific time. For you folks who work nights or graveyard, this is a great way of letting your hens out of the coop into their run or into the yard whenever you would like. My mom doesn’t like her backyard chickens to free range her backyard. They scratch and peck everything. They can destroy a garden if you let them. Plus they poop on the patio. She found that if she let them out of their chicken run for an hour or so before sunset, they had time to wander and be free but not time to destroy her flowers.
Chicken Tractor: A chicken tractor is a chicken coop and run on wheels. The chicken run area does not have a floor so that way they can scratch around for bugs and such. So if your schedule is really tight, this is a great solution. Your backyard chickens can move around freely within the chicken tractor and all you have to do is move it a few feet everyday or so.
Chicken Tunnels: Some people call them chunnels. I really like chicken tunnels. Well, I have not used them personally, so I guess I like the idea of them. This gives chickens a path that they can wander. They are protected from predators because of the wire but you get to dictate where they go. Once it is connected to your chicken run, it is a great hands off way to let your backyard chickens wander.
Chicken Run Under the Chicken Coop: If you just do not have the space for a big chicken run or a chunnel, you can build a chicken run underneath the chicken run. This doubles the square footage available to your hens without increasing the footprint of your chicken coop.
After your backyard chickens have been cooped up for awhile, they will be pretty excited to be let loose. I found a funny video on YouTube. The channel is World of Aviation. When you do finally open the door, you can probably expect to see this:
I hope you found this post valuable. Make sure you share it on your social media. Remember sharing is caring and helps us keep growing here at BackyardChickensHQ!