Imagine being cooped up all day inside of a dark, smelly room, almost like sitting inside a jail cell.
All the necessities are there: food, bed, water, and a little bit of room to move, but it certainly is not a life of luxury.
Now, think about how it would feel to walk out under clear, blue skies and breathe in sweet fresh air all day.
That is what chicken runs provide for your flock.
They are a source of wholesome, clean breathing air, and they allow your chickens to roam, scratch, and socialize with the rest of your flock during the day.
Even if you are planning on having 'free range' chickens, you may still need to think about chicken runs as an option.
Why? The reality is that chickens like a variety of foods.
Your garden offers one of the largest varieties in their world.
It is almost like heading out to the local buffet when a chicken has access to your garden.
You may need to protect your garden from your flock.
Or maybe it could be your neighbor's you are protecting.
Additionally, chickens are inclined to roam all around a neighborhood when they free range.
This might be a huge problem if there are lots of predators or traffic lurking in your area.
Any of these problems can lead to losing your flock fast.
In fact, some predators will kill your entire flock if they have access to them, even if they don't intend to eat them all.
Small flock owners have lost four, and more, hens in one day because a predator had easy access to their chickens.
Even though chicken runs may not be your favorite choice for maintaining your flock, it may be the only option you have for keeping them safe, and keeping them out of valuable garden spaces.
You should keep these points in mind when you consider whether you need to have chicken runs for your hens.