Keeping Chickens Penned Up?

[Barnyard Dawg]

My wife and I will be going to China for 2 weeks soon, I was wondering do many of you keep your chickens penned up? How does this affect them? By the time we leave our chickens will be down to around 6 or 8, I will normally open the pen every morning and close the door at sunset when the chickens retire for the day. I will have a friend feed and water them I do not know if they will have time to let them out? When we return we will replenish our flock. Any thoughts? I figure if I keep them penned up I will replant grass seed, it will at least give our grass some time to strive. Thanks

 

[eggchel]

6 or 8 chickens will be fine in your coop for the time that you are gone. Is the top of the run completely covered so that predators cant get in? If so, the hatch to the coop could be left open so that they would have access to the run with out their caregiver having to open and close the hatch everyday. Just make sure something cant dig under easily.

Even if they had to be locked completely inside the coop for two weeks, they would be okay as long as they werent too crowded.
8 chickens (times 3 sq ft per standard chicken) require 24 sq feet minimum of coop space. For bantams it would be half that. Normally they would have run space in addition to that amount of coop space, but during severe weather or when needed, they can manage for weeks inside the coop. If they are locked in the coop, be sure to leave them some grit if they will be fed any food other than layer feed.

Have a good time in China, and take pictures of poultry and waterfowl there to share with us.

chel