Roosting bar space recs and minumum question

[HensInTheForest]

We have 22 birds and have a quick question.

We put 20 ft of roosting bars out in the run while coop is being built. Two 10 foot sections using 2 x 4s on a t frame.

Run is 24 x 10 with full roof will have access all winter.

These bars are wide open at night they don't use all this space. I think if I measured them they are not even using 12 feet they huddle close together. I will measure tonight as I am curious.

Why all the extra roost space for the minimums for in coop? 1 linear ft per bird etc.

Is this just for cold weather coops where they may be locked up for a week in subzero Temps and could use the extra hop around spots? If they are only sleeping and laying in the coop why?

If I lived in the south I've no idea why I would provide that much roost space with attached run or free ranging.

Just looking for all your thoughts and experience as there just must be a reason.

 

[My Bagurks]

They tend to spread out when it’s hot and huddle when it’s cold. And if there’s a limited amount of roost space it can encourage fighting. I have at least double the recommended roosting space and at some point or another, every bit of it was used at different times.

 

[nuthatched]

They huddle if they're cool or just feel like huddling. It's best to have a good amount of space so they can shuffle away from squabbles. Mine either huddle at each end or spread out if they're hot.

 

[3KillerBs]

Sometimes you need extra space for birds who don't get along.

Also, some birds are larger than others.

 

[NatJ]

They also need enough space to flap their wings as they get up on the roost.

Also, the general rule of thumb gets applied to many different sizes of coops.
If someone builds a 2 foot roosting bar for 2 chickens, they will not appear to have much extra space, compared to what your chickens have with 2 10 foot bars for 22 chickens.

When you get more than a certain amount big, you can sometimes get away with a little less space per bird, just because the total space (roosting bar, floor area, or whatever) is so much bigger overall, so they have more options about how to arrange themselves in the space.

 

[Brooks_]

If I lived in the south I've no idea why I would provide that much roost space with attached run or free ranging.

Admittedly, mine pushes maximum density. Even with coop and run working in tandem, I would like to have more roost space. Work in progress.

 

[3KillerBs]

They also need enough space to flap their wings as they get up on the roost.

Yes, it can be quite a shoving match when they're getting up, knocking each other off, arguing over who gets to sit with whom, etc.

I need a little more elbow room in my coop right now.

 

[Brooks_]

arguing over who gets to sit with whom

Not to anthropomorphize, so true.

 

[3KillerBs]

Not to anthropomorphize, so true.

I've got a new layer who is trying to move onto the big girls' perch and being pushed off and a couple others who push and shove about getting to sit next to the rooster, and so on.

 

[Brooks_]

I've got a new layer who is trying to move onto the big girls' perch and being pushed off and a couple others who push and shove about getting to sit next to the rooster, and so on.

So somewhere in between is the truth for chickens?