do the girls need a perch in their run? if i do not put a perch in the run, are they more likely to come inside to roost on their own?
There is no particular reason to have a roost in the run. They will use it a bit if you do have one, especially if your chickens have social 'issues', but beware having it located anywhere that anything can reach through run fencing and grab a handful of sleeping bird; and as you say, it may sometimes encourage birds to want to sleep al fresco which can be a nuisance to have to chase them in every evening Good luck, have fun, Pat
I agree with patandchickens. Our ladies have some in their day run and only occasionally use them. They really wouldn't care either way if they had them. I think it's really only used when they want a breather from everyone else. Thankfully, they do go inside to roost every night on their own, so I don't have to chase them in.
we put a magnolia tree in their run! it provides shade, as well as some lower limbs that they can perch on! they seem to enjoy the break up in the monotony of a their run!
I have a ladder type "day roost" in their run as well. The hens (not all ) seem to spend time on it in the lazy afternoon part of the day taking a nap or preening theirself. The young pullets seem to like to "play king of the hill" on it. I do notice they spend quite of bit of time on it on cool and wet (not raining) days like we had yesterday.
I like the idea of a perch in the run as well as the coop, but it's really a matter of personal preference. Ours free range and there is one particular bush they roost in the branches of every day in the mid-afternoon. After a long morning of foraging apparently they get tired. So they all go together and some perch in the branches and the others bed down on the ground and that all nap.
Ours use the roosts ((logs) in the run when it rains and they don't go inside. They jump up on the roosts in heavy rain...and yes, our roosts are under the covered portion of the run. But that's what they do. Ours come back into the coop and run after about 4 hours of free range time..quick snack and nap before going back out. I think it is a security issue for them...only thing I can think of.
My 14 year old son took several limbs from trees that had fallen in the woods and made a dome-shaped "playground" for our chicks. (Chicks range from 21 weeks to 13 weeks) They'll take a break on the roosts, some playing "king of the hill", others preening. They don't spend a lot of time there, but I think it's a nice change of pace in the run. Although the run is about 25x30 ft for 15 chickens and is plenty big enough for the day (free range in the evening hours before dusk) it gives them another outlet so that boredom and boredom born habits don't take over.
