Do you think an 8x8 coop or a 6x 11 is better? - Page 2

Depends on the breed. It seems to me that the smaller breeds prefer to be up higher and some love to get into trees. The larger breeds seem happy at about 3 feet. So you might set some roosts at 3' some at 6' see what they like.but I think for the most part 6' is plenty high enough for any height loving chicken. I just wish I could get a coop like yours! Enjoy and let us know how it works out.

Yeah, I was planning on putting up some different types of roosts to see what they like. Just hoping they use them so I don't have to spend the money to put wire across the whole roof to shut them off from the rafters. Although with an area big like a garage height may not matter right? As there should be plenty of room for them to flap their wings for a safe landing?
 

Jack, Some breeds fly better than others, I've seen my EE's fly vertical over 7 feet up. I had a BO that could barely fly up 2 feet. Most likely they will try to go as high as they can. Concrete has to be one of the worst things for them to land on, no give (you mentioned using a garage).  At 30 inches to a wood floor with 2 inches of shavings, I can hear them land from the house 75 feet away, quite an impact. I'm very much into preventative foot care now, I am so sick of doing foot surgeries (old injuries linger).
 

Its a dirt floor in the garage.
 

I like long and skinney for the run because it takes up less space and fits in the back of my yard.  If space is not an issue, I think a square would be nicer so you can walk around more in it and the chickens would be able to run a round a little bit more free.

What I have is an old tin garage with a dirt floor that I am transforming into my coop. The ceiling is open. I am trying to figure out if the hens will roost on bars that I make for them or if they will always automatically go up into the rafters and potentially get injured from flying down from so high up. Don't want to have to wire off the whole ceiling in there if I don't have to. Was wondering about ideas to make lower perches appealing to them so that I do not run into this issue.
 

I would wire off the roof any how just to keep cats/squirrels/ect. Out!

Yeah, I am thinking I may do that. I mean it has a good roof on it. What I meant by wiring off the roof was shutting off access to the rafters from the hens. Nothing will be able to get in if I don't, but just to keep them from hurting themselves, I think I may just go ahead and close it off.
 

Well, if you have roosts that are no more than 6 feet tall ill bet they never touch the rafters. I would try it without the wire first and see what happens.