Advice please- how hardy are chickens?

[Cathpot]

Chickens are in a big walk in run with a perch they like which is high up in one corner. I am still going out at night and putting them in the coop ( for warmth- I don’t think anything can get into the run) . This involves taking them off the perch where they seem happy and manoeuvring them into the coop. Is there any point or will they be fine left out? I don’t like to think of them getting cold!

A determined fox will get into a "secure run" if desperate.

I would carry on putting them in but to protect them not for warmth.

Mine have started sleeping alfresco (in their walk in run on various stick perches) over the past couple of weeks, including a few nights ago when we had frost. I still got yelled at the next morning so they were fine. The only time I would now hustle them into bed is if it was going to be stormy. They'll head into their coop again in the autumn.

Usually they will put themselves to bed without you having to worry about it. If they're cold they huddle together

Depends on the chicken! I’ve got one which we hatched just under a year ago and she stays on top of the hen house in all but the worst winter weather. Now it’s warmed up a lot she often has company up there. Ours also have a secure wire enclosure with their hen house inside it

They used to put themselves away in the evening before we got the perches up but the coop is on the floor and clearly height wins over warmth as they tried to sleep there even in the midst of all the snow! Was thinking about raising the coop up onto a platform to see if that helped. The favoured perch is over 6 foot off the ground and the run has a wire skirt to discourage digging so I’m hopeful it is safe- although I realise that may be beginner talk .

One of my newbies slept in the tree last winter, I think because the others wouldn't let her into the henhouse! Now she has matured and is laying she holds her own and is sleeping in the house.