1st coop - where/how to put the roosts?

[OwensChickens]

We are almost done with our chicken coop and have a few questions about the best place for the roosts. Our chicks are now 5 weeks and getting big in their outdoor brooder. These are our 1st chickens and they actually belong to my oldest, Owen now 8 years 5 months and will be joining FFA next fall. Our younger boys are also helping, but Owen takes care of feeding, watering, cleaning, and collecting eggs (when it is time). My job (dad) is building coop, getting chickens, and buying food and supplies. We need some suggestions on how to setup the roosts.

Our chickens will be free range on our 2.5 acre property that backs on 3 sides to 10's of thousands of acres of forest land. Our coop is almost completely made of left over and recycled lumber from when I built out house a few years back. The only things we bought or plan on buying is chicken wire, waterer nipples, and roofing shingles. Here is our almost completed coop. It is 10.6' x 6.6'we plan on 12 or so chickens;

 

[tymimo]

Are those the nesting boxes at the back of the coop? Roosts should be placed higher than the nesting boxes to discourage the chickens from sleeping in the boxes. One or two roosts running parallel to the roof seem to make sense. You might need some sort of steps/ladder to help the chickens get up to the roosts if they are higher than 18" off the floor.

With that much forest I'm guessing there's predators. You may want to search the forums on the strength of chicken wire vs. hardware cloth.

 

[4 the Birds]

That steep roof can be a challenge to utilize space other than down the center. If those nest boxes are on the back then hopefully you have an exterior access door; Otherwise, you will be going through the coop. The center area is the logical place for a roost since it has enough head space and below the roost bar will be the majority of the poop.

 

[JanetS]

I agree with the use of hardware cloth. Also keep in mind that there are risk when you decide to free range. Enjoy your chickens. I know we do.

 

[OwensChickens]

Thanks for the responses. Our nesting box is in the back and there is a door built to access those boxes. After building it, I realized that I did not need to put the nesting box so high off the ground (20" or so). It is done, so it will stay for now.

I am sticking with chicken wire, but the bottom 18"-24" will be wood in the front. The door is in the middle. We do have all kinds of predators, from pine martin and coons to lions and wolves. We know we will lose some birds (we lost a cat to a fox last year in broad daylight), but that is life in the woods. I am confident that the coop is secure and the chickens will sleep safe at night.

How much roost space do I need per bird? Can the roosts be at different heights? The roosts need to be higher than nesting box?

 

[Beckadidi]

I've read on other threads to put all the roosts at the same height to minimize fighting for the top spot. If the roosts aren't higher than the nest boxes, then they may roost and poop in the nest boxes. Put a ladder to the roost if it's higher than 18". 10-12" roost length per bird:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/568931/how-much-roosting-space-per-chicken

 

[JackE]

Thanks for the responses. Our nesting box is in the back and there is a door built to access those boxes. After building it, I realized that I did not need to put the nesting box so high off the ground (20" or so). It is done, so it will stay for now.

I am sticking with chicken wire, but the bottom 18"-24" will be wood in the front. The door is in the middle. We do have all kinds of predators, from pine martin and coons to lions and wolves. We know we will lose some birds (we lost a cat to a fox last year in broad daylight), but that is life in the woods. I am confident that the coop is secure and the chickens will sleep safe at night.

How much roost space do I need per bird? Can the roosts be at different heights? The roosts need to be higher than nesting box?

While you can, you are going to need to lower those nestboxes. Otherwise, as said, you WILL end up with crap covered eggs. With chickenwire, your coop is not safe against nighttime preds. You may want to rethink getting hardware cloth too. Also, you should give serious consideration to raising the coop a foot and a half to two foot off the ground. You really want to be able to see what's going on under there. Mice and rats and other vermin just loooove to set up house in a nice hidden secure place like a coop on the ground, with plenty of food over their heads. How many birds do you have? Don't just think that threats come at night. I live in the woods too and I lost 9 out of 11 birds within a space of a couple hours one sunny afternoon to a fox. A fox WILL take more than one bird at a time, they will wipe you out.
Jack

 

[OwensChickens]

We have 6 chickens right now. We will be up to 12-13 soon.

The coop is on a slope and the back is about 18" of the ground. There is some access underneath.

We know we may lose chickens to predators in the daytime, not much we can do about that as they will be free range. I feel pretty secure against night time predators.

Here is what we did with the roosts. I think it will work out well;



And the front is finished;




Now I just need to finish the roof, build a feeder, and build a waterer.

 

[aart]

Cool!

Might have to support the roosts from the bottom, a cross pieces attached to rafters, not sure they can get around those 'hangers'.

Would love to see a pic of the chickens snuggled up there!

That chicken wire will not keep coons, dogs, fox out...replace it with 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth attached with screws and washers...or double up the chicken wire and attach it REALLY good.