My perches aren't freestanding. I have one that hangs from the roof like a giant swing, one that is sloped connecting to the run on the high side and up on a concrete block on the low side, and one that is attached to the run spanning across a corner (my kids put that one in, they have the chickens trained to greet people there begging for handouts). I used sumac tree trunks because those grow like weeds here. Nontoxic and they are straight with smooth bark, very easy to work with. I use them for the indoor roosts as well. The giant swing was initially added to serve as an escape for chicks being added to the flock. It works quite well for this purpose.