Actual Feet Posture on Various Size Roosts (And Chicken's Preference)

[Outta Here]

I use large tree branches as roosts. I don't like the warped keel bones, & would like to switch to actual squared roosts sometimes, but lumber prices are really high.

This is very important info! Do you feel your chickens get warped keel bones from roosting on large branches? I went to Tractor Supply to look at 4-6" fence poles. I don't have any experience with round roosts, so I'd really like to know...

 

[MysteryChicken]

This is very important info! Do you feel your chickens get warped keel bones from roosting on large branches? I went to Tractor Supply to look at 4-6" fence poles. I don't have any experience with round roosts, so I'd really like to know...

Yep, most of my birds have warped keel bones due to large round branches. Mostly the hens. Alot of the roosters don't have it though.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yep, most of my birds have warped keel bones due to large round branches. Mostly the hens. Alot of the roosters don't have it though.

Interesting. I've never had that problem with mine.

 

[Outta Here]

Another tidbit to add to my research: This morning I watched carefully (perplexing my girls) as they settled onto the 1" wide backrest of a wood settee. To stand up on it, they were gripping with their front and back toes on opposite sides (perching), but when they settled, they tucked that back toe forward along with the cozily curled front ones, roosting without gripping--- even on a 1" roost! Of course, they don't stay there very long--too narrow for comfort.
This makes me think chickens don't ever perch for resting, just for balancing when they're upright on something narrow. Or if they had no choice but a 1/2" wide roost, maybe the poor things would then be forced to grip all night long, not getting much sleep. One myth can be dispelled, at least in my flock--they do not "lock" their feet in a perching grip to sleep.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Interesting. I've never had that problem with mine.

It's a problem with my birds.

 

[Outta Here]

Interesting. I've never had that problem with mine.

Wow, thank you so much for sharing that!! I won't go looking for a round post that hasn't been pressure treated. And 8' one would be sooo heavy, anyway. Now I can be super happy with my 2x6 flat side up roost for the big ones and my 2x4 flat side up for the medium and small ones. Both those sizes will span 8' and hold 14 chickens (mine love to roost close) without bowing at all.
One other question: how can you tell a chicken's keel is warped? What does it feel like as opposed to a normal one?

 

[3KillerBs]

It's a problem with my birds.

Odd how things vary so much from flock to flock and chicken to chicken. There are probably a hundred different, subtle things that account for it that we could never identify.

Which is why there is never one right answer for all chicken-keepers.

 

[Outta Here]

Odd how things vary so much from flock to flock and chicken to chicken. There are probably a hundred different, subtle things that account for it that we could never identify.

Which is why there is never one right answer for all chicken-keepers.

Yes, I think if we each very closely observe our own chickens' behavior (like watching their feet and pressure points as they sit down to roost or checking their keel shape!!), we'll be able to make decisions for our individual flock's health and comfort.

 

[Outta Here]

Wow, thank you so much for sharing that!! I won't go looking for a round post that hasn't been pressure treated. And 8' one would be sooo heavy, anyway. Now I can be super happy with my 2x6 flat side up roost for the big ones and my 2x4 flat side up for the medium and small ones. Both those sizes will span 8' and hold 14 chickens (mine love to roost close) without bowing at all.
One other question: how can you tell a chicken's keel is warped? What does it feel like as opposed to a normal one?

Wait, more info: I did some research and I wouldn't quite blame it on the branches just yet--Damaged keels are a huge problem in industry-housed chickens that never see a roost and can be caused by many other things:
" The current article served to provide the most up to date information regarding the causes of keel bone fracture. While elevated and sustained egg production is likely a major contributing factor towards fractures, new information resulting from the development of novel methodologies suggest complimentary causes which should be investigated. We identified four broad areas (Age to first egg, Late ossification, Underlying disease states, Inactivity leading to reduced bone strength) that could explain variation and increased fractures independent or complimenting elevated and sustained egg production including: the age to first egg, late ossification of the keel, predisposing bone disease, and inactivity leading to poor bone health. We also specified several topics that future research should target including: continued efforts to link egg production and bone health, examination of non-commercial aves and traditional breeds, manipulating of age at first egg, a detail histological and structural analysis of the keel, assessment of pre-fracture bone condition, and the relationship between individual activity patterns and bone health...."
https://www.researchgate.net/public...ations_in_addition_to_elevated_egg_production

p.s. I started raising chickens 44 years ago but never heard anything about warped keels, so this is all new to me and I'm just probing to learn...

p.s. The article (and several others) seems to point to osteopororsis in early super layers, also without access to exercise, which is what you'd find in factory egg farms. MysteryChicken, are your hens with damaged keels hybrids?

 

[Outta Here]

Interesting. I've never had that problem with mine.

This is very important info! Do you feel your chickens get warped keel bones from roosting on large branches? I went to Tractor Supply to look at 4-6" fence poles. I don't have any experience with round roosts, so I'd really like to know...

This is very important info! Do you feel your chickens get warped keel bones from roosting on large branches? I went to Tractor Supply to look at 4-6" fence poles. I don't have any experience with round roosts, so I'd really like to know...

Wait, more info: I did some research and I wouldn't quite blame it on the branches just yet--Damaged keels are a huge problem in industry-housed chickens that never see a roost and can be caused by many other things:
" The current article served to provide the most up to date information regarding the causes of keel bone fracture. While elevated and sustained egg production is likely a major contributing factor towards fractures, new information resulting from the development of novel methodologies suggest complimentary causes which should be investigated. We identified four broad areas (Age to first egg, Late ossification, Underlying disease states, Inactivity leading to reduced bone strength) that could explain variation and increased fractures independent or complimenting elevated and sustained egg production including: the age to first egg, late ossification of the keel, predisposing bone disease, and inactivity leading to poor bone health. We also specified several topics that future research should target including: continued efforts to link egg production and bone health, examination of non-commercial aves and traditional breeds, manipulating of age at first egg, a detail histological and structural analysis of the keel, assessment of pre-fracture bone condition, and the relationship between individual activity patterns and bone health...."
https://www.researchgate.net/public...ations_in_addition_to_elevated_egg_production

p.s. I started raising chickens 44 years ago but never heard anything about warped keels, so this is all new to me and I'm just probing to learn...