Coop vs. Run

Flying up to 4-5 feet is usually not a problem....
.....but in a small coop flying back down can be a serious problem if not enough room to glide down and land without crashing into something.

I, and my birds, like nests 14"x14"x16"tall....nice a roomy to turn around and get comfy.

Hi, just re-read you last response. Thanks for the info. Just wondering if you let your chickens out to free range in backyard. If so, how do you get them back into the run/coop when you are ready. Seems like that could be a problem if you had 10 or more birds.

SoCal-ludic said:

Hi, just re-read you last response. Thanks for the info. Just wondering if you let your chickens out to free range in backyard. If so, how do you get them back into the run/coop when you are ready. Seems like that could be a problem if you had 10 or more birds.

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I free range my flock of 12. Chickens are very food motivated and learn quickly. They are fairly easy to train to come when called. All I have to do is yell "Hey chook, chook, CHOOK!", and they all come running. They return to their coop for egg laying and to roost.
With free ranging, you do need to be prepared for the occasional loss to predators.

I have 20 and all I have to do is say, "C'mon girls. Bed time." and they all scramble for the scratch I toss into the run for them. The older ones seem to teach the younger ones.

I'm having a hard time picturing the OPs set-up. If pics were provided, maybe we could get a better idea of your concerns.

My set-up is probably similar to the OP's. I have one big, covered, enclosed run, which is the day-time hang-out for the chickens. It has open sides interspersed with full-length glass doors (for maximum light) as wind breaks , and right now, the open areas are winterized with plastic panels to keep the winter weather out. In summer, the panels come down, and it's open to the air.

At opposite ends, attached to the run, are the coops, much smaller, and that's where the chickens sleep and lay their eggs. They seem to be instinctively drawn to want to sleep or roost, (which is a verb when talking about what chickens do at night) and lay eggs in the most protected area they have access to. Young pullets getting ready to lay their first eggs, will observe the older hens and often take their cue as to where to lay from them. Salting the nests with fake eggs helps in this regard. But don't be surprised if most of your layers all choose to use one favorite nest even though you've provide numerous others. Hens also seem to be drawn to nesting places that are at ground level or down low as opposed to nests up high.

And yes, it's no problem for most chickens to flap their way up to perches (what many refer to as "roosts") but some heavy breeds have a difficult time with any perch higher than a couple feet, usually preferring a few inches off the floor.

There. Does that help?