What do the poor things do when it rains? I think the problem is that the birds do not see the pen as "home". The situation should improve when they have a proper chicken house... unless they get too used to roosting just anywhere. Even when they get the chicken house, they will need to learn that it is home. Closing them in at night could be a chore for a bit. I suggest you try an interim solution. Will the chicken house be going inside the dog kennel? If so, I think if you were to get an appliance carton and close it all but a "pop-hole" (chicken door) and a bunch of ventilation holes that they may use it, once they are in the pen. They should feel safer inside it than in the open. And rather than rounding them up AFTER they start camping out for the night, why not take some special treats down to them close to their bedtine, stand inside the pen and call "Heeere chick-chick-chick!" Once they get used to that routine, getting them settled should be a lot easier. As a general rule, it is far better to get the housing built BEFORE you get the critters. You'd save yourself a lot of headaches.

I don't think you need to worry about "proper" distances. The main idea, as far as I can see, is to keep the perches far enough apart to prevent pecking and minimize squabbling. ("That's MY spot!" "No it isn't! I was here first!" "But that spot's better than this one and I'm higher on the pecking order - Move over!") The 2x4 perch works okay, although a number of my Speckled Sussex prefer the top of the nest box. It's nice for them to have enough roost space so that they are able to spread out in hot weather. I had one hen who insisted on a whole perch to herself. She was delicious. This spring, Brian went into our woods and cut two young ash trees and put them across the width of the chicken house - eight feet long, about five feet off the floor and about four feet apart. This has worked really well for us. The roosts stay clean, I stir the shavings under them regularly with a three-tined cultivator (I use the deep litter method) and becuase there is a natural variation in the diameter of the perch from about four inches to three inches, birds can find a spot that suits the size of their feet.

Thank you both for your postings. While I know quano is a great fertilizer, it doesn't help with windows and leaves; never seems to hit the ground. And, drying like concrete, hosing doesn't help. Yes, plantknitter, they are native although, not being a bird person I haven't a clue which ones. No matter, I shall always count my blessings.

AHA!!!!! I have at lasat solved my own mystery. Went back out there yesterday afternoon with guide in one hand and binocs in the other, and lo and behold there they were. THEY ARE............................................ ...........lark sparrows. I initially thought I was dealing with a bigger bird, but that's what they are. Oddly enough, the first bird I spotted when approaching the area was a cedar waxwing, and when it took off I realized that their tail and flight are rather similar. But I still have no familiarity with this bird at all. Of course, if there's a group of birds that needs my brushing up on, it would have to be the sparrows, followed immediately by the shorebirds and then the warblers.