Roosting Bar

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chevyman1986

chevyman1986

Hatching
7 Years
Mar 25, 2012
4
0
7
Hello everyone and i want to say thanks in advance for the responses. I have looked around on the site and i am having a hard time finding a good answer to this question. I was curious what the best material to use for a roosting bar would be and also what the height should be on the bar. I just built a new coop and i just want to make sure i put the right thing in for my chickens so they will enjoy the coop. Thanks so much.
 
I like round roosting bars. It suits my standard hens and my bantams. The important thing is to have enough room - 6 inches per bird. Also, if the barn design allows it, have roosts at varying heights. I use old ladders propped against the wall. It's easy to take them outside to disinfect in the sun once in awhile. You can see them here
http://www.hencam.com/barncam.php
In my other coop, I have roosts I built, and they're on a hinge, so I can lift it up to clean under them.
http://www.hencam.com/inside.php
 
So when you say a 2x4 do you mean the 4 inch side facing up? Also I thought they say not to have the bars at different heights! Thanks guys!
 
I made a template that handle 2"x 4" either configuration. The chickens like best is the 4" side being the on top (facing up). It's wider and they don't fall off the roost easily.
 
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Just about anything that provides a gripping area of 1" to 2 " gripping area. That is why modern 2x4's work so well. When they are turned with the small side up, they are 1.75", which is a good all around diameter for most chickens. I also say that modern 2x4's should be used since they don't contain arsenic which was used as a preservative a few years ago.
 



I use cut branches, 2x2s and 2x4s with both the 4" side up and the 2" side up, at varying heights. If you have them at varying heights you have to make sure that they are not right on top of eachother. Mine are at different distances from the walls so they are not pooping on eachother at night. The 2x4s that the Golden Sebrights are on were not meant to be 'roosts', I just intended them to be supports for the nest buckets and the real roosts (bottom picture). Most of the birds have switched to always roosting on the cut branches which tells me that is what they prefer (above). I even put up a roost branch for two young hens who were getting kicked off the main roosts (below). The new roost branch is more difficult to get to but more birds are choosing to roost on it now too instead of the cut lumber.




 
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