# A Run....?



## Captain (Aug 19, 2012)

how important is a run for the coop? do i really need one? the coop i am building doesn't have one, and i recently read that most of them have them. what is the importance of a run? 

thanks
Jeff


----------



## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

If they're done well, a run gives the chickens some place safe to go outside and play. Without, something will have a wonderful chance of getting them. I let mine free range when I'm home and I have my big dog outside with. Even then, the neighbor's dog got lose last Sunday and ALMOST got one of my hens. Sophie, bless her heart, was running and hollering for all she had straight to mom & dad to save her. Which we did.  I won't let my girls outside to free-range if I'm not home with them. They have their fenced in roofed run to play in during those times. Without that extra room during the day, they literally get "cooped up." I've forgotten to open their door to their run a couple times while gone to work for the day and boy were they bouncing off the walls and cranky!!!


----------



## Roslyn (Jun 21, 2012)

A run comes into play when you have to confine your birds. Even if you have a great area to free range, you may need to confine them for a time, especially if a lot of hens decide to take their eggs elsewhere. If this happens you can simply keep them in the coop/run until they work out their issues and lay eggs where YOU want them. 

Also, in the winter a run gives you a nice safe place under a roof, but still open and airy for them to stretch their legs during snow and rain. Especially if you have weeks or months of snow cover, that way you can toss in some hay and scratch and give them something to occupy their time.

It all comes down to your area and your needs with your flock. As 7chicks mentioned above, free ranging a flock when you aren't home can bring issues, so it depends on how safe your area is as well.


----------

