Who has NEVER let their chickens Free Rang?

I have just recently started adding things to my run to make it more appealing to stay in. I would love to keep my girls in while I'm at work, but I feel bad so I let them roam.

I added Elderberry starts, to the back of the run with dirt and sand and pine needles. I want to grow peas and such along the fence run. I won't feel as bad when they have to stay in. I don't look down on anyone who does not want their birds to roam. I am interested also in what others have in their runs. I want to set up a water  mister this summer. Do you have perches in your run?  Good thread to start.   

Our 5 girls have a 12' x 12' run, they have never free ranged because we can't in our town. We have some roosts outside for them, they have some chairs out there that they jump on sometimes. They have their dust bath area. We haven't had any problems with them not free ranging. If we lived where they could go free in the day  I sure would let them. They all seem happy and healthy. In the summer we lay down grass clipping for them to scratch in and eat, they loved this last summer.

If i was more rural I would let them range a little in the afternoon, but being as I'm in the city I keep them in the run, They are fine without any extras.I had given them the backyard, but in the fall they almost took all the grass. I re-seeded it in the spring last year. When the grass starts to grow again this spring I will let them out on a limited basis, especially when I'm intrducing my new chicks to them. I want them out where there is more room than in the coop/ run.

I'm going to follow this thread cuz I just got my 4 today and they will be in a 25x25 run their whole life. We aren't allowed to have them free roaming in town either, and honestly - I'd be scared to do that with the threat of hawks. My thought on this is if you are getting new chicks - they won't know any different, therefore they won't know what they are missing. It might be different if you get adult birds that have free roamed their whole life and then are all of a sudden stuck in a pen. 

I am subscribing to this as well.

I used to let mine free range, by their own choice, since they flew over their fence all the time, and then had to stop due to dog attacks.  I just can't handle that emotional stress!!   I had to clip their wings, and now the four of them are stuck in a 12' X 9' run. 

But no worries, I know that's way too small for them so I let them out occasionally with close supervision, and will be expanding their run very soon to about 45' X 20'.  That will allow them access to our back deck ( where they love to visit with us ) and will also allow me to get two or three more chicks this spring without worrying about space!  Hooray! 

I really do wish I could free range them, though.  It was so much fun to go outside at any given time and be surprised by a chicken, running at you full speed, or sitting proudly on a motorcycle, or visiting with the neighbors ( the neighbors loved that! ), but I'd rather them stay alive than have to worry about predators constantly. 

If I could afford it I would fence in our entire back yard, but I'm afraid that's just not going to be able to happen any time soon. 

I think the answer is 'yes'. Folks who are able to let their birds out occasionally and live w/ the consequences (read: the complaining!!) impress the heck outta me. How to live w/ the cacophony?! 

Birds love, love to free range. I understand that not all folks can let that happen. 

So when I let mine out and they get a taste for it, I know I'm introducing them to their idea of Chicken Heaven.

And when they don't get it, they sure as the dickens let me know about it. 

Oh! Great thread idea. I would love to know how to keep my impending chicks happy in the run. I would love them to free-range, but we have hawks during the day, owls at night, and coyotes, possums, and skunks to boot. So running around is out of the question.

I was thinking of planting some sort of edible climbing plant, for shade in our heat, and a treat when it fruits.