Awkward roost layout

[Hokum Coco]

how to keep chickens from pooping on each other

I would place your roost in cups which would make them removable for easy cleaning lower them to 3½" over your poop boards. You will also have the added bonus of saving eggs that are sometimes layed from the roost overnight.

Works great for me personally.

 

[aart]

They sleep in the larger one.

Sounds like you have plenty of space to rebuild a roost in the larger enclosure.

 

[rusty acres]

Thanks for everyone's input/advice! I've come up with a better layout with all your help. I will be taking down the awkward roost bars I now have, and adding a poop board under the new roost bars, which will all be the same height. My question now is regarding how high to place the poop board and roost bar. If I use the 3 available walls with the poop boards taking up space, there won't be a whole lot of room for flying up and down. Because of that, I'm thinking lower is better? I figured placing the poop board 16 inches high would give the chickens enough room to get into the coop through the pop door and also have room for the nesting boxes on the other side. But I'm not sure how high above the poop board to place the roost bar. I appreciate any chicken wisdom

 

[aart]

That larger enclosure looks to have plenty of room to jump/fly down....
...or maybe there's a wall inside that I can't see here?
Inside pics of that larger enclosure might help us help you.

16" high would be ok for the birds, but it might be a pain for you to clean.
Might also depend on where your nests are, roosts are best located a foot higher than nests so they don't sleep in nests.

My boards are about 30" high and 24" deep, roost is 8" above the board and centered.
The 8" was chosen arbitrarily, IIRC, but I can reach under with my short hoe and the mesh sifter basket., and it reduces the range for 'overshoots'(poops missing board).
My coop is only 6' wide so I have the ramp, tho many don't use it and just jump down between the board and waterer.

Hope that helps.

 

[rusty acres]

@aart Yes, there is an internal wall that separates the roost/nest box area from the rest of the enclosed run. Here's a pic of the main run, complete with my attempt at incorporating 5-6 week old chicks with the older girls (so eventually the dog cage and extra hardware cloth won't be there.) You can see the ramp leading to the opening of the roost.

I forged ahead today with the roost remodel. Here's what I managed to put together:

I put some sand/Sweet PDZ on the poop board to finish it off. I went to check on the girls after bedtime and they both managed to get up and settled on the new roosts. Eventually, the plan is to add external nesting boxes where you see the temporary metal nesting basket, but for now it works since we only have one egg layer.