post your chicken coop pictures here!

[cabinchicky]

I use dead 4 inch saplings for roosts in and out of coop. No Bumble foot or frostbite in two years in Ohio

 

[heatherlaw]

I will probably switch to flat roosts eventually, mostly for the sake of my heavy girls, but frostbite is not a concern for me here in the Northern California valley. It never drops below about 30 degrees and even that only lasts a couple hours. Heat is more of an issue here with weeks of over 100 during summer. I agree that location makes all the difference. There are people from all over the world and a huge range of climates here at BYC and sometimes it can be hard to remember that not everyone has the same conditions to consider.

 

[hereorthere]

I used a greenhouse frame for the run and dug down so I could put wire fencing as the floor and then back filled about 6 inches of sand and pine chips. I've got solar motion lights, "Predator Eyes" and wolf urine hanging to complete the security detail. Hubby insisted on building a "good looking" coop...who was I to argue? I've also got a solar shed light and solar LEDs for supplemental light.

Nice run! What kind of greens did u plant in the cinder blocks? Something for ur chooks?

 

[andyh]

Our free ranging 'Poultry Arc'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-arc

 

[Guvnah]

Thank you for posting this!

I have read over and over again that chickens do not/cannot perch and have kept

While my 6 bantams did have 2 x 4 roosts on which they could roost flat footed, they chose to balance on a divider in the coop or on anything higher.

My coop is such that I cannot put wider roosts up high and so, for well over 2 years now, they have slept high, gripping thin roosts with no apparent side effects, no bumblefoot, no leg damage etc. They used the 2 x 4's as a launching or landing pad on their way up or down from their 'inappropriate' preferred sleeping spot

So, while I am maybe doing the wrong thing by not forcing them to sleep on 'appropriate' roosts and not blocking off access to high dividers etc, they seem quite happy perching on high 'inappropriate' roosts

My coop has 1 1/4 inch round wooden poles for perches. Chickens used them from the very first day. (And all of them would pack onto the topmost one.)

I expect when I get my new chickens, they'll do exactly the same.

 

[bruceha2000]

Anyone that says chickens can't perch is just being ignorant... They can perch but not as well as many other perching birds and not was well as their wild counterparts due to their increased body weight and captive behaviors (aka more time spent at roost) and thus the proper sized and shaped perch makes all the difference...

Not saying they can't use a round perch, they can but studies show it's not ideal...

This article gives some good scientific study references and explanations...

http://www.yourchickens.co.uk/care-and-advice/the_perfect_perch_1_2842822

In climates that experience freezing temps the compromise of a flat perch seems to be the best compromise option as it allows them to easy cover their toes in cold weather and avoid frostbite... In warmer climates the properly size flat with rounded edges sized to your chickens feet seems to be ideal based on studies for most modern breeds that differ from their wild counterparts...

This is very curious, thanks MeepBeep.

I went out and found a "volunteer" (or as my kids say, "voluntold"). Echo (standard size Black Australorp) volunteered only because I knew if I had some of the ornamental cherries, conveniently ripe right now, she would get in my lap where I could grab her. Tip to tip, she measures ~3" back toe to middle toe. Based on the article:

1. The minimum diameter of a round roost would be ~1" (so her toes don't touch).
2. But, they said square with rounded edges are better with a minimum of 4 cm (1.58") which happens to be pretty close to a 2x2 and does exceed her 1" minimum diameter for a round roost.

BUT, it also said that they put 5x the weight on their keel bone as they do on their foot pads when they are roosting. So we have to modify our "they sleep flat on their feet" to something like: "they sleep on their keels, with their feet keeping their side to side balance". I'm having trouble figuring out just how much keel they can have on a roost 1.5" wide (*). The 2 Rocks that were on the 1/2" plywood must have been putting a lot more weight on their feet than they would on a "proper roost".

The "standard" 2x4 on the flat roost under Echo's feet (if evenly placed) will have an extra 1/4" in front and behind. Thus she is flat on her feet, toes extended. I wonder if they would be more comfortable with some amount of "toe curl". I guess they could be sleeping forward on the roost with their front toes curled over the edge of the 2x4 so they aren't totally flat footed, but I have no way of knowing that. Obviously the 3" fence rail provides a gentle toe curl, front and rear, but it likely doesn't provide as much keel support since it is a continuous curve and not being made of foam, won't allow the keel to sink in. Their keels are probably point loaded. But then the keel isn't a flat surface, so it might not matter, they are probably point loaded anyway. I've not seen a preference for either roost shape (**) They seem to go for walls and outside corners over roost shape. They do seem to walk more easily on the round fence rail though.

And overthinking this just a bit more, chicken toes are jointed so I would GUESS that the ideal roost wouldn't be such that there is a horizontal to vertical change between joints but right at the joint. Custom made perches for each chicken anyone??

Or, as I suggested above, they might move forward to position their feet so the horizontal to vertical transition IS at a toe joint and only their back toe has to be out flat.

It would seem the ideal shape would be one where their toes can curl over some (still covered in the winter in our colder climates) but there is a perpendicular support for the keel. But the perpendicular part couldn't force their legs out of the natural position. Individual "chicken beds" with a slight up curved 1" wide "keel board" set into a perpendicular 2x2 "foot board" ???? OK, I can't imagine my birds would settle into an "anatomically correct" curved bed.

* I know, I KNOW - 1.5"! But how much is 1.5" as a percentage of how much they would ideally have on the roost??
** Other than my own. I note the fence rail rarely has any poop on it, where as the 2x4s have a fair bit).

 

[peastix]

Our free ranging 'Poultry Arc'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-arc

Very nice! I like.

 

[Raysti]

Here is mine. It's a work in progress, so any feedback would be appreciated. .

 

[napdognewfie]

Wonderful! I love the nest boxes. Lol

 

[junebuggena]

Here is mine. It's a work in progress, so any feedback would be appreciated.

.

Is that cedar on the walls? The fumes from cedar can be toxic to chickens.
If it's not cedar, then great job. Love the toilet seats. You may need a bit more ventilation, though.