2 x 6 vs. 2 x 4 roost

[LD Jackson]

Okay, as some of you have read already, I have been planning to use 2 x 4's for my roost. However, I was given an abundance of 2 x 6's yesterday. Since I have no way of safely ripping them down the middle, I now plan to use the 2 x 6's for the roost. Since the Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, and Barred Rocks are fairly large birds, it seems this would be better, in that it gives them more room for their feet. Would there be any drawbacks that I should know about?

 

[Wisher1000]

The only thing is that they will poop on the roost since their bottoms will not hang completely off the back. Then you will have to scrape the board more often and they will step in it all the time. Poop on their feet means poop on the eggs, yuck!

 

[LD Jackson]

Quote:
Well, that is something I didn't think about. I wonder if 2 x 6's can be ripped safely with a circular saw, since I don't have access to a table saw?

 

[CupOJoe42]

Can you miter the edges so they are rounded off? Maybe that would help? Or cover the roosts with linoleum or shelf liner to make them easier to clean?

 

[first time farmer]

You can rip them down with a circular saw I do it all the time if I have a 2x6 or bigger and need a smaller peace of lumber. Set up a couple saw horses and set the depth of the blade on the saw so that it just cuts through the 2x6. Snap a chalk like on the board and cut it. If your saw has a rip fence that will make it even easier because you wont have to snap a chalk line.

 

[LD Jackson]

Quote:
I will have to give that a try. I suppose the trick is the blade depth and taking it slow?

 

[colonel sander]

Also if you do not have a rip fence you can always clamp a straight edge on the board or even another board if it is straight. Just remember GO SLOW and make sure the blade is sharp. And when finished cutting take the edge down a bit so it is not sharp.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The other alternative is to turn the 2x6 small edge up. Thaty way you don't have to worry about ripping them. Just sand off the sharp corners to make it more comfortable on their feet and to remove splinters, which you would need to do anyway.

 

[bufforp89]

Quote:
that sounds like a great idea...much less labor intensive lol

 

[bywaterdog]

I have 2X6 roosting boards for my Buff Orpingtons and have very little problems with poop on their boards, the birds are just so very large that they hang over the edge.