Just wanted to mention a point on the rural living thing. I live in the sticks and my #1 fear for my chickens is loose dogs. There's one lady who every now and then walks her two dogs down the road and lets the Golden romp around off lease up and down other yards, pooping in those yards, all of it. The dog is friendly but I don't want him in my yard terrifying *my* animals, or pooping in my flowers. I'm sure she thinks it's no big deal because the yards around here tend to be on the big side but she needs to remember that in rural areas many of us have small livestock. If not trained or used to chickens the best dog in the world will kill and attack them.
OK. Sort of OT but I wanted to put in a word on behalf of the chickens of the world.
I'm a dog person and I would've stopped initially b/c my first reaction would've been I'm about to get attacked! I have a big yard with no fence and I NEVER let my dog out without a leash. If one of them were to get hit by a car there'd be no one to blame but myself.