Roost in run?

[Cheryl]

Would the girls like a roost in their pen/run? They're out everyday and having a great time, still no pen, that will happen when the snow melts! I find it interesting that they roost inside during day light hours but still pig-pile into the nesting boxes at night! I've tried moving them over in the evening, but they have no interest!

 

[Redfeathers]

I have three roosts in the chicken run. They sit up on them and preen during the afternoon. I think once they are finally done eating and dust bathing, it gives them a nice place to gather and enjoy eachother....weird but that's what it seems like they are doing...

 

[Smitty's Farm]

They would love roost in their run area when you build it. Mine love having roost in the outside run as well as in the coop for bedtime. Maybe they are going inside during the day & roosting to stay warm.

I would try to break them of the bad habbit of sleeping in their nest boxes at night or you will end up collecting poopy eggs when they start to lay.

I had to deal w/ a few pullet this winter wanting to sleep in their nest boxes, which would make them poopy. I think they were trying to stay warm. You could start by physically removing them at night from the nest box and putting them on the roost or you can block the nest boxes each night to help prevent them from sleeping in their. I had to just remove mine a few times to break the habit.

 

[hinkjc]

If it's a covered run, I would say yes. Our araucana have a flight pen/run and we do have roosts outside for them. The roosters love to hop up and blast out a crow and it gives them a place to rest and enjoy the sunshine.

Jody

 

[silkiechicken]

I have roosts in the run... they now refuse to sleep inside year round if given the choice.

 

[greenmulberry]

I have a big tree limb in my run that the girls all like to roost on during the day. They line up and preen their feathers on it.

 

[Dawn419]

We have outdoor roosts in our main run and the birds love it.

Like silkiechickens' birds, ours no longer use the coop roosts at night. They will sleep outdoors down into the single digit temps.



Their run is secure, we built them a cattle panel hoop run, so I really don't worry about them sleeping outdoors.

Pix of the outdoor roosts (a 1" x 6" board & Catalpa tree branch)...








Dawn

 

[Cheryl]

Quote:
I do move them, they go right back and they started laying last week, they seem to sleep in one box and lay eggs in the other!

 

[raindrop]

We have an old table in the run- underneath stays dry and good for dust baths and the top is a good perching/sunbathing spot.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Quote:
I do move them, they go right back and they started laying last week, they seem to sleep in one box and lay eggs in the other!

Chickens are so silly! So they crawl back in the nest box after you remove them, huh. They probable feel warm & cozy in there. Aren't they funny how they make up their mind of what they want. Maybe try blocking the boxes at night. I know that would be a pain to do every night and unblock in the morning.....but it might work.

It took me a little while of breaking a few of mine of sleeping in the nest boxes. I was slack at first, b/c I felt sorry for them. I finally would go out there every night and get them settled on the roost before the lights were turned off. Once the lights are off they seem to settle and go to sleep. Sometimes I bring a flashlight in there, turn it on propped in the window shinning up to the ceiling to give us a little light to help them on the roost after lights are out for the night. I thought I was going to have to resort to blocking mine w/ card board or making nest box curtains. LOL!

BTW...........Congratulations that they are starting to lay!!!!!!