Why A Run?

[ll]

A run to have a place for their water & food out of the coop but safe from rodents.
A run to have a partially covered place for them to play in the cool autumn rain but not get soaking wet.
A run to have let them get safe exercise and fresh air when I cannot be home to listen to them freerange.
A run to enable them to let themselves out when they wake up earlier than me.
A run to have a sense of security.
A run to decorate & have something cute in my yard

(I chose an angled mini greenhouse type of design)

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
So will hawks take the standards?

I personally have never had a hawk take a standard. The biggest birds they have ever taken were silkies. Since only keeping standards or silkies with very small crests or no crests at all (for meat) I have not lost a bird to a hawk.

 

[ll]

I personally have never had a hawk take a standard. The biggest birds they have ever taken were silkies. Since only keeping standards or silkies with very small crests or no crests at all (for meat) I have not lost a bird to a hawk.

Quick question: when is a standard hen considered full grown?​

 

[beach livin']

we have a run becuase we live in a subdivision without fences and next to a school. my husband and i both work all day, so i cant keep an eye on them.

 

[1muttsfan]

I am fortunate to live in a beautiful area surrounded by wildlife. Unfortunately some of that wildlife is very intrested in my chickens. In my yard I have seen coyotes, foxes, bobcat, fisher, hawks (one bouncing off the poultry netting over the top of the run) and stray dogs. There are also bears and wolves in the area. I had four birds killed by probably a weasel 2 weeks ago when the coop door was not closed tightly. There is a pretty big investment in time and money to get a bird to the point of egg laying, so I protect my investment while still giving the girls a place to be outside and scratch around without being slaughtered.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why have a run? Flexibility. A run helps you manage your chickens. I normally free range but there are times I want the chickens locked up in the run, sometimes for days.

When a hen is laying somewhere other than the coop, I leave them locked in the run so she has no choice but to lay in the coop or run. They are creatures of habit. You need to break them of the bad habit.

If they roost somewhere other than the coop, I'll leave them locked up until they learn where I want them to roost. This is normally when I am moving some from the grow-out pen to the main coop and occasionally, with a broody and her chicks.

When I have a predator problem, I leave them locked in the run until I can deal with the predator. Or if I can't get the predator, I leave them locked up safe until the predator decides there is not a free meal for the taking and moves on.

I raise them for meat as well as eggs. When I process, I keep them locked in the run to keep them away from where I am working.

When I vacation, I sometimes want to leave them locked up while I am gone. Depends on who is taking care of them and other factors.

Depending on your circumstances, you don't necessarily have to have a run. But I like the flexibility mine provides.

 

[Aria]

We let our Silkie Chickens FREE RANGE most of the time.
If we are going to be away we let them stay in the Barn with a run for exercise and freedom.

In the Winter we do NOT let our Chickens out. We use the Barn and the run. Regards, Aria

 

[chicmom]

That is such a good question! Here's what I think......I also have two coops, with attached runs, and I let my flock free range every day. I can do this because I live out in the country, and my property is pretty secluded, surrounded by six acres of woods.

Anyhow, I think the run is very convenient, because there are times that I want to keep them contained, but I still want to let them outside, like when I mow the grass. Sometimes I have things to do in the evening, so I'm not home when it gets dark to lock them up, so I'll lure them into the run early with some scratch grains or cracked corn and shut them in. That way, they can still enjoy being outside until dark. I don't feel comfortable if I can't lock them up at dusk....Critters could come in and kill them.

I know my chickens prefer to be outside, and if they're in the run, they're not pooping in the coop.....Less poop in the coop! (Hey I'm a poet.)

Another thing is, I put a few tarps around the run, so that when the weather is extreme, they can still go outside. Here in Ohio, the snow can get super deep, and with the run, they can still go outside. (My run has a roof on it).

So those are a few benefits. I also put sand in my run, and I rake that out daily. They love to dust bath in one of the corners.....

Hope this helps if you are considering attaching a run to your coop,
Sharon

 

[JackE]

Quote:
Everybody? I don't. My chickens wander all over the place.
Jack

 

[AlienChick]

My chickens free range and we never thought to have a run until we needed to plan to be away for the weekend.

That's when we built the run.

After building the run, we keep the little pop door open 24/7 so the chickens can go outside of the coop if they want.

When we have to be away for a day or so, they are able to go outside in the secure run.

When we're home, I open up the run and they are able to free range.

I like the idea of having the run because I don't have to get up so early to let them out.