Janet Galpin wrote in
:

I'm in exactly the same state of doubt. I'd love to keep chickens and
have inherited a rather splendid chicken-house, but just worry about
the problems of not being able to stay away over night etc.
I'm wondering about getting some moveable electric fencing so that I
can vary the area the chickens use, but keep hesitating because of
these doubts. I'd be interested to know from anyone who keeps chickens
whether it's OK to leave them occasionally to put themselves to bed if
the fencing is good enough to keep foxes etc out.

We have 2/3 chickens in a completely enclosed run
(think fruit cage) and coop.

There's no problem leaving them provided
- they have enough water (and food) and can't
knock over the containers
- predators can't get in
- if it is cold, they are kept inside

A weekend is no problem: we just leave them.
For a week, we get a neighbour to feed/water/open
the pophole in the morning, and drop the pophole
door at night.

The only time the fox got in was when we left them
in the city for a weekend