Chicken Sleeping Outside

[chicknmania]

As long as you are sure the run is predator proof. Is the exterior fencing buried beneath the ground? Even with no raccoons obvious there might be other predators. Looking back I guess I do remember we did have one or two that tried to roost outside over the years,and we always did bring them in, but it was because of fear of predators that we did. That is the main thing. Just make sure that she is safe. As far as sleeping outside in the cool weather, that won't make her sick.

 

[9d84runner]

We have the fence dug down into the dirt a bit and cement thingys on each side. We started putting her inside and she mostly stopped sleeping outside. She still keeps her head out so I assume she just needs to be a watch dog. If she doesn't have her head poking out, someone else does.

 

[MartiHope]

I have almost the exact "problem", except all four if my girls prefer to sleep outside. They sleep on what i call their front porch (landing in front of coop door). I live in southern california so the temps are mild and my coop (like your's ) is fully enclosed with hardware cloth so i have just been letting them do it. Do you think they will just start going inside when the temps get colder at night?

 

[9d84runner]

I have almost the exact "problem", except all four if my girls prefer to sleep outside. They sleep on what i call their front porch (landing in front of coop door). I live in southern california so the temps are mild and my coop (like your's ) is fully enclosed with hardware cloth so i have just been letting them do it. Do you think they will just start going inside when the temps get colder at night?

I hope so! 3 of my chickens slept outside last night. I saw somewhere that they like light and people put lights in their coop. We have a bedroom window and when the light is on its perfect where they have been sleeping, in the light. My amazing coop door just fell off so I don't have anything until I get better hardware to lock them in. They seem to go inside after the light is off but I think they enjoy sleeping outside? I feel like if I put a light on they would never sleep.

 

[MartiHope]

I think our girls just like the fresh air. Its funny. I dont think the lights make a difference really. My coop has lights inside. I put the lights in it because i felt like it would be kinda mean of me to stick em out in their new coop and let em sit in the dark all night. they always had light in the brooder because if the heat lamp , so I hooked up some red xmas lights so it wouldnt be completely dark. I use red bulbs becsuse they are a little bit dimmer than clear ones.
I used to go into the coop every night and put them inside. And they would sleeo well, lights and all. but if given the choice theyre out on the front porch. At first it as just Coconut, the hen in charge, that would sleep outside. I figured ,like you,that she was keeping watch. But now all four do.