Best Options for Roosting Bar (Idiot Chicken Alert)

[dalasgalas]

I've never had a roosting area for my chickens. They always preferred to sleep in a pile and were never very interesting in roosting.

Now that my rooster is gone the 4 idiots left are completely clueless about how, where, or when to sleep. I'm going to put a perch in their sleeping area then politely "escort" them in there nightly. My question is what is the best thing to use for a roost? Can I use a 2x4 or do I have to use something round. I'm getting conflicting answers from my nominal research.

A little bit of background, the sleeping area is about 5 x 3 x 4 and well ventilated. It has been home to the flock (ranging from 3 to 4 decently sized chickens) for the past 3 years with no issues at all. They are free ranging in my back yard and when it is cold I house them at night in the sleeping area.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Killer Tomato]

From the title of the post, I thought this would involve alcohol!

But, I guess I would use a 2X4, with the 4 inch side flat, so the chickens had a wider plank to walk, roost upon. They've never done it before, and that might be easiest for them. I had to build a ladder up/down to my roosts, as it was hard for my large hens to get down from the roosts in the morning.

Good luck!

 

[dalasgalas]

From the title of the post, I thought this would involve alcohol!

But, I guess I would use a 2X4, with the 4 inch side flat, so the chickens had a wider plank to walk, roost upon. They've never done it before, and that might be easiest for them. I had to build a ladder up/down to my roosts, as it was hard for my large hens to get down from the roosts in the morning.

Good luck!

Oh thanks you! Um yeah that header needs to say roosting right? I was thinking 2x4 since they aren't the most intuitive birds in the hood.

 

[jthornton]

If you ask a chicken they prefer to roost on a tree branch... everything else is human opinions about what they like and what they are used to (chickens hate change).

JT

 

[Mosey2003]

I always use a 2x4. It lets them settle over their whole foot when it's cold.

 

[Killer Tomato]

Oh thanks you! Um yeah that header needs to say roosting right? I was thinking 2x4 since they aren't the most intuitive birds in the hood.

My chicks were raised in a bathroom, and they were very large before the coop was built. (we were building it as fast as we could!) They started roosting on the shower curtain rod!

Downside: it was disgustingly messy by the time we moved the pullets out.
Upside: I completely cleaned, sterilized, and repainted my bathroom afterwards in colors I really liked, and I probably wouldn't have gotten around to this otherwise.

I now plan better when I get chicks regarding weather, brooding spaces, transitioning to the coop.

I'm sure your hens will figure out whatever roost you get for them -- they've got some instinct left over, and will like being up higher, once the "scary newness" is gone.

 

[rosemarythyme]

2x4, 2x3, a thick tree branch... they're not that picky. The overall accessibility and location of the roost matters more to them than the actual bar.

 

[RoosterML]

My chicks were raised in a bathroom, and they were very large before the coop was built. (we were building it as fast as we could!) They started roosting on the shower curtain rod!

Downside: it was disgustingly messy by the time we moved the pullets out.
Upside: I completely cleaned, sterilized, and repainted my bathroom afterwards in colors I really liked, and I probably wouldn't have gotten around to this otherwise.

I now plan better when I get chicks regarding weather, brooding spaces, transitioning to the coop.

I'm sure your hens will figure out whatever roost you get for them -- they've got some instinct left over, and will like being up higher, once the "scary newness" is gone.

That's to funny, my wife would kill me if I ever took a chicken into the house let alone house them in it.
You didn't grab the "black soap" while showering did you ?

 

[Killer Tomato]

That's to funny, my wife would kill me if I ever took a chicken into the house let alone house them in it.
You didn't grab the "black soap" while showering did you ?

Haha! Gross! We didn't even use that shower any more -- we hooked up the jacuzzi tub in the garage, and washed up out there!

I wouldn't have raised them inside if my boyfriend hadn't been on board, and promised me we could fix the bathroom. The smell and dust was disgusting when they got big.

 

[Legion]

They're not picky although 2×3 to 2x4 may be more comfy for larger hens.