penned in but i let them in the garden for a couple of hours each day mate
i rarely use pellets mate, just a few through winter,theyre not that keen on em anyway,i give mine a variety each week,corn,barley,wheat(good and cheap at the mo) plenty wildfoods and greens and they all lay regular, i also give em marmite once a week,spread thinly on toast, now that does bring em into fettle