Will it be ok to block the rafters off in my coop with chicken wire?

[KRS57]

Inside my coop the rafters are accessible to my chickens and they will roost up there over night; see Picture of Coop. I got my chickens about two years ago and they have been doing this ever since then. It is difficult for the chickens to get down for the rafters in the morning. It is even difficult for them to get up there for the night. I added a roosting bar on the left of the coop to help with this, but they still struggle. A couple chickens have injured themselves. One has a limp and one will not roost at all anymore; she lays in the pine chips instead.

I would like to block off the rafters with chicken wire to prevent the chickens from getting up there, but I am concerned they will not see it and hurt themselves trying to get to the rafters.

What do you guys think? Should I be concerned? Do you have any other recommendations?


Picture of Coop

 

[Krugerrand]

I've seen many posts of people using chicken wire. The important thing is to remember that it provides virtually zero predator protection.

 

[springvalley123]

I haven't tried to block with anything but shade cloth (which is highly visible). But, chicken wire gives. I imagine they'll try to roost, hit their head on the chicken wire, and eventually give up and go roost on the next highest place. The only other choices other than chicken wire, would be to put shade cloth, window screen, or any other type of material. Other than chicken wire, all the other materials that would block access to the rafters, would possibly also create a haven for pests, even predators, to hide, nest, etc.

Oh, I was assuming you'd fasten the chicken wire to the rafters. If you somehow fastened it a bit below the rafters, they'd get up less momentum when they hit the chicken wire and less likely to injure themselves, at least less severely for sure.

In any case, they naturally try to roost in the highest (safest) place.

 

[Krugerrand]

you could try and staple some cardboard strips bellow the rafters. (enough to block the chickens without blocking ventilation.

 

[perkolator]

Chickens will always prefer the highest roosts. Adding a ramp or a "stairway" of roost bars, to facilitate getting up/down from rafters is likely cheaper/faster/easier than installing screen across that whole ceiling space. Bedding on the ground looks very shallow for padding the drop.

 

[springvalley123]

Chickens will always prefer the highest roosts. Adding a ramp or a "stairway" of roost bars, to facilitate getting up/down from rafters is likely cheaper/faster/easier than installing screen across that whole ceiling space. Bedding on the ground looks very shallow for padding the drop.

Having observed my chickens over the years, they often use the blocks/stairs to get up onto the roost, but never to get down. So it'd have to be a ramp, but a ramp long enough to get all the way up, might not fit in that coop.

 

[aart]

What do you guys think? Should I be concerned? Do you have any other recommendations?

If I had rafters like that, that's what I would do.

I imagine they'll try to roost, hit their head on the chicken wire, and eventually give up and go roost on the next highest place.

This^^^^

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I have this same type of roof in my shed and I've used OSB on the sides for storage, leaving the middle open for access. If I had chickens in there, I'd do the same thing and make a couple "panel/frames" with hardware cloth to block the middle on hinges for storage access.

 

[perkolator]

Having observed my chickens over the years, they often use the blocks/stairs to get up onto the roost, but never to get down. So it'd have to be a ramp, but a ramp long enough to get all the way up, might not fit in that coop.

Most of mine fly down too, but I have a few that always take the stairs to get lower before jumping down

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I would like to block off the rafters with chicken wire to prevent the chickens from getting up there, but I am concerned they will not see it and hurt themselves trying to get to the rafters.

What do you guys think? Should I be concerned? Do you have any other recommendations?

That's what I have blocking mine, inside the pole barn.. NO chickens allowed in the rafters! I've not YET had a head go though or a chicken get hung/caught.

Hardware cloth requires more frequent cleaning as it collects spider webs and dust a bit too much for this purpose and is therefor not preferred where predator protection is not required, in MY experience.

They are getting hurt already..

They'll quickly realize that option's closed and find the next best highest roosts.

I'd follow through, but leaving it completely open for ventilation and with no "added storage" for hiding pests (rats, etc)!


Hopefully your bird injuries will cease and quickly recover!