Do chickens have to have a coop if you have a completely enclosed run?

[Pullus Amo]

Hello everyone I have 3 buff Orpingtons that I've been keeping for the past year. They have a sweet little A-frame coop that I put them up in at night and they free range during the day. Our city allows a dozen hens, so we are growing some chicks to introduce to my mini-flock in a few weeks. My question is, do hens really need a coop? I have constructed a completely enclosed run 60 feet long and 14 feet wide, 8 feet tall. The little A-frame is inside, but would never be enough room for more hens. I was about to start planning construction for a new coop when I stopped to wonder if hens would be just as happy with roosting bars and nest boxes placed in the enclosed run. Thoughts?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Your record low is 18 degrees so yours don't need much. I'd fix a place with a roof and maybe some wind protection on a couple of sides to keep the worst of direct breezes off them, sport of like cul de sac, but just at the level of the roost. Don't go overboard. That will also keep raccoons form reaching in through the wire and grabbing parts of them while they roost if your wire has holes big enough for a raccoon to get a hand through.

I'd worry more about your record high, 113. They definitely need shade and lots of ventilation for that. .

 

[Pullus Amo]

I was thinking the same thing about the ventilation. My hens preferred to roost outside last summer and I had to catch them and put them in their coop each night to protect them (that was before I made this huge enclosure). I was thinking more of an open format would be better than a closed-in space. It does get hot here. Dry hot, very low humidity. I think I could easily board up a culdesac. My home blocks the prevailing wind direction, so hopefully that will work. Maybe add a fan? Misters? Or is low humidity better? No Misters?