They choose to sleep outside...

[ChickenCanoe]

The healthiest rooster I ever had always slept outside in the same tree, winter/rain/storm and he was fine. But the disadvantage of that is predators which after about 2 years his luck ran out and got eaten.

There may be others but ive found 2 reasons why some chickens (not roosters) wont sleep inside the coop. Mites or too much poop and they don't like the smell of ammonia.

X2
Another reason they choose to begin sleeping in trees is when a predator gets in and eats their friends. Then they associate the coop/roost with danger.
It is always my fault. If I don't make it home in time to lock up at dusk and a predator (usually raccoon) gets in and kills a bird, the others somehow escape and end up roosting in brush, on a fence, on the building whatever. It takes a long time to get them to sleep inside again.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Don't they get frostbite?

No.
An unheated, uninsulated building is just as cold as it is outside by morning. The advantage of outside is lower humidity and no buildup of ammonia, dust, bacteria, virus, fungus - and humidity.
The humidity is what usually causes the frostbite.
Tiny birds like wrens, sparrows, finches, etc. sleep in trees with no heat. I don't know why a chicken with more feathers would need heat or protection of a building.
Some birds like ptarmigan live north of the arctic circle in the snow. They don't live in coops either.

 

[theuglyduckling]

I live in Puerto Rico and my chickens roost inside therir run and on top of their coop. I use to be worried about the rain but after a year of them roosting outside exposed to the rain and never loseing a chicken from rain I've stopped worrying because their feathers help insulate them and keep them warm. I personally wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

No.
An unheated, uninsulated building is just as cold as it is outside by morning. The advantage of outside is lower humidity and no buildup of ammonia, dust, bacteria, virus, fungus - and humidity.
The humidity is what usually causes the frostbite.
Tiny birds like wrens, sparrows, finches, etc. sleep in trees with no heat. I don't know why a chicken with more feathers would need heat or protection of a building.
Some birds like ptarmigan live north of the arctic circle in the snow. They don't live in coops either.

Because of the combs and wattles, of course.

 

[path.otto]

I'm as intrigued by the answers as I am by your question. You've said several times that your chickens are safe from predators which I think is the main reason to care where your chickens roost for the night. You have cold hardy breeds, although I'm not sure about the last breed listed as I've never heard of it. They appear to be healthy and happy. 20 degrees isn't all that cold really. Unless someone heats their coop, those of us in the northern tiers of states hit that most every day and colder at night. As long as they are safe I agree with @ChickenCanoe.

 

[MissChick@dee]

To me it’s all about having layers of defense and protection. You’ll never loose a chicken to a owl if you have them cooped.
A fence around your property or designated yard area. A run fully enclosed and wired even under its perimeter. A reinforced coop.
Every year it gets improved. To me it’s all about how much you value your chickens not what you paid for them.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

1. Chickens are not human.

2. If you think that chickens are human, refer to statement #1.

Sometimes chickens just don't understand how the human mind works. This is one of those times. What is it about "Free Range" that you are finding so hard to understand?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

So true. A chicken doesn't know that coop is home until it has been forced to sleep in there for several nights.
Until then, they are just as content sleeping on the bed of a pickup truck or a porch handrail. No one ever told them what a coop looks like.

 

[cmom]

If the inside roosts are 2x4s on edge, they may not like that...too skinny for comfort? Mine avoided a skinny 2" branch roost, I had to change it. Now mine have 2x4s flat. Try turning them flat.

So true. A chicken doesn't know that coop is home until it has been forced to sleep in there for several nights.
Until then, they are just as content sleeping on the bed of a pickup truck or a porch handrail. No one ever told them what a coop looks like.

I agree with these posts. My roosts are 2x4 flat side up. It gives them a good grasp on the roost and easier for them to keep their feet warmer under them. I have my birds acclimated to a light from the time they hatch. I think the light on has helped me and my birds gladly go into their coops at night. I use 1.5 watt LCD bulbs in all of the coops which are equal to 15 watt incandescent bulbs. If your coop is large enough, close them in for a few days. You can also give them some of their favorite treats and put the treats in the coop every evening around the same time and eventually they should go in and then slack off on the evening treats.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

No.
An unheated, uninsulated building is just as cold as it is outside by morning. The advantage of outside is lower humidity and no buildup of ammonia, dust, bacteria, virus, fungus - and humidity.... The humidity is what usually causes the frostbite.
Tiny birds like wrens, sparrows, finches, etc. sleep in trees with no heat. I don't know why a chicken with more feathers would need heat or protection of a building.
Some birds like ptarmigan live north of the arctic circle in the snow. They don't live in coops either.

The wrens around my place tend to roost inside empity feed sacks in which I store used hay twine. There are usually two wrens in a feed bag, I guess because this helps the tiny little wrens better keep their tootsies warm.

Any way the goal seems to be free range chickens, So I decided to post a vid of golly gee real free range chickens, no coop necessary.