Perches and Nest Boxes

[JWChickens]

Got a question for the group.

I have a flock of nine hens and a rooster. They are currently in a smaller coop with a 10 x 10 run. I have just installed a new run that is closer to 25 x 30 (and is all grass), and this run butts up against my barn. I have a small (12 x 15 ish) room on the other side of the barn wall that is about seven feet high that I wanted to make into a new coop for them, but I have questions. How many perches (and how far up) would you recommend? Where would you suggest I put the nest boxes in relation to the perches (and how high)? I want to make this low maintenance but I want it to be a great indoor hangout for the chickens during the winter. This last winter they spent half of the winter tromping in snow and I want them to be more comfortable this winter.

 

[Jenessa_096]

Always put the nesting boxes lower than the perches because if the nesting boxes are higher they will want to roost in the nesting boxes which is not a good thing. That’s the only thing I have to say here!

 

[DobieLover]

Can you post pictures of the room you want to convert into a coop? And pictures of the outdoor run?
If you want low maintenance, consider installing poop boards.
I installed the top edge of my poop boards at counter height, 34", with the roosts centered 13" over them. That makes retrieving birds off the roosts at night very convenient.
I would mount the nest boxes such that they bump out into the barn so you can collect eggs without having to enter the coop. The accesses would be under the poop boards.
The chickens will still want to, and should, go outside during winter and you should plan on that.

 

[saysfaa]

The rule of thumb is 1" (edit typo - 1 foot! Not one Inch, sheesh.) per bird of roost length. They will often squish together so it looks like they don't need that much and some really don't at least some of the time. But 12" gives them enough room to stretch and shift positions and maybe enough to get get away from another if needed. More than 12" is better.

Any number of roosts is fine. If you have more than one make sure one is not under another or under the tail of a hen roosting on a higher one. Rule of thumb for that is 12" horizontal space

Some people make multiple roosts the same height, thinking it will minimize pecking order fuss. It probably does at night. I made one roost because I want them to reinforce pecking order issues at night. I think it makes less pecking order stress overall. It probably makes very little difference either way.

Some make multiple roosts so they can be used as ladders. I don't know much about that.

Most people, I think, make as many as they need to fit the space and space they have. Or the number that looks good to them.

The chickens will think they need higher roosts. It doesn't matter how high they are. Even if they are 20' up on a barn beam or 40' up in a tree, they will be looking for something higher. What they need is something noticeably higher than the floor - six inches will do. You, on the other hand, will be happier if the roosts are higher than the nest boxes. You might be happier if you don't have to bend over to scoop a poop board.

The chickens won't care how high the nests are. They want at least a little darker than the main area, not in the middle of things, some wall or brush to nest against, and some nesting material to move into an oval shape. If they can't get all that, they will take part/s of it. You might be happier if it is high enough to make a lip across the front to keep nesting material in.

Think through how you will move through your coop. Make it as easy to do things comfortably as you can. Little things like which way the door swings can make chores an irritation rather than a joy. There is no best solution that fits everyone. Dobie-lover like exterior nests. Many people do. I would rather go in than scrape snow off the top of a nest box (or side of a nest box that is lowered if it is a side access. Or wade further through the snow drifts to get to the nest box. Both are good design options.

 

[3KillerBs]

I made the roosts in Neuchickenstein almost as high as my shoulders so that I could easily handle birds at night without having to either reach up or bend over. This is the height of the top of the nests, which are about my elbow height for convenient egg collection.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For 10 birds you'd want 10' of roost space (though if you're thinking of expanding, might as well add more now).

With height, the roosts should be higher than the nest boxes, with adequate landing space in front of the roost (i.e. birds will struggle to get off a roost 5' high if there's only 3' in front of the roost), and within reasonable height for the type of birds you have, i.e. heavy birds can't get up as high and are more likely to be injured jumping down.

I have my nests at floor level (I can glance down to see if there's eggs, and I don't mind crouching momentarily to pick them up) and directly across from the roost, but that's mainly because that was the best use of floor space for the way my coop is set up. Yours will likely be different.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have my nests at floor level (I can glance down to see if there's eggs, and I don't mind crouching momentarily to pick them up)

That would kill me -- I have arthritis in my knees.

 

[rosemarythyme]

That would kill me -- I have arthritis in my knees.

For me, my back is awful, so bending down to get into the nest boxes isn't going to happen. So crouching it is.

 

[aart]

For me, my back is awful, so bending down to get into the nest boxes isn't going to happen. So crouching it is.

Crouching's been out for years here due to arthritic and injured knees,
I hurt my back last week so bending over was painful, had to hold myself up with hands on thighs. Getting old stinks!

 

[3KillerBs]

Crouching's been out for years here due to arthritic and injured knees,
I hurt my back last week so bending over was painful, had to hold myself up with hands on thighs. Getting old stinks!

This is why I used my own body and capabilities for the height of the nests and the roosts. I can reach either standing comfortably upright.