[audaciouspiglet]

We've had our hens for 2 months now (pullets half of which started to lay). Today was the first time I was aware of 2 roosting outside their coop. (Husband taught one to climb a ladder and stuck a pole out for 2 others to climb, in the evening near dusk - just the time to give them ideas!!)
They free range all over the lower part of the property, which is a really varied area - dense underbrush, field, brambles, and open areas.
Until now, I believe they were always inside as I fed them in the morning inside a little pen that I would let them out of later, and no one was trying to get in from outside. So they know where their house is and where to lay eggs (I think - though I could be naive). Is there anything wrong with letting them roost in trees or brambles at night? Will they also decide they can lay eggs elsewhere? Predators can't climb where they are roosting, so it is not a predator issue. Thanks in advance for your answers - it seems reasonable that they should sleep in the coop we made for them, and I certainly don't want to be looking for eggs all over - especially given that we have a fair number of hens and are selling a few eggs and when we understand what we're doing (which is obviously not right now!!) we might get more. But there is no reason to be dogmatic about making them do something for no good reason.

[New shoot]

There is no problem with them roosting outside so long as you are sure the area is safe, but they may decide to lay eggs elsewhere.  That is more likely to be a problem if one of them goes broody as she will seek out a private place to nest and accumulate eggs.

Is the hen coop new?  Just asking because sometimes hen avoid the coop as it is infested with red mite and they are looking for a mite free place to sleep. 

Article here from the main site:

https://www.chickens.allotment-garden.org/poultry-illnesses-ailments/red-mite-identifying-treating-red-mite/

[steven c]

i think they will always go to highest roosting perch for security if this is outside then that might explain.