Best Options for Roosting Bar (Idiot Chicken Alert)

[RoosterML]

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.

Now that is true chicken love, the chickens kicked you out..
Chickens took over the house shower/bathroom and you were relocated into the garage.

 

[RoosterML]

They're not picky although 2×3 to 2x4 may be more comfy for larger hens.
View attachment 1591608

Hey @Legion did you cut your rafter wrong? Oops

 

[Killer Tomato]

Now that is true chicken love, the chickens kicked you out..
Chickens took over the house shower/bathroom and you were relocated into the garage.

I know, we're such suckers. 3 sets of chicks have been brooded in that bathroom! I got used to brushing my teeth in the kitchen, as well.

Even though he built the coop, and it's well insulated, my boyfriend still wants to take the chickens inside the house when it snows. We're in Oregon, not Greenland!

 

[Legion]

Hey @Legion did you cut your rafter wrong? Oops

I did actually. Got distracted and didnt feel like correcting it.

 

[cmom]

I have 2x4's in most of my coops except the chick/grow-out coop where I put some 2x3's. They are around 3' up from the floor and the birds have no problems getting on them but I do have one lower roost about 2' up.

 

[feathermaid]

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!

So they were never interested in roosting? Did you ever have a roost available for them?

Young birds that aren't raised by a broody to show them the way, will usually sleep on the floor because they don't know any different. Most people will pick them up off the floor at night and put them on the bar, after a few nights of doing that, they realize it's great idea and learn to go there on their own. But if they weren't ever shown what to do, it may have never clicked.

If they're 3 yrs old now, I wonder if they'll ever want to change. You might have to help them out for quite a while so they can learn a new routine. Any type of roost is probably fine. I use flat 2x3s, but my girls will actually roost on anything. I put a 2x2 perch out in the run up pretty high and they decided that was better than the coop roosts at night time, so I took it down. I was thinking about changing my current roosts to something skinnier like a tree branch, but I'm still not sure if they preferred the run perch because it was higher, or because it was skinnier.

I think it's a good idea for you to get them up on a roost at night... it's much healthier if they're off the ground, then they won't be sleeping in poop. But some breeds like Silkies don't normally roost at all.

 

[jthornton]

Young birds that aren't raised by a broody to show them the way, will usually sleep on the floor because they don't know any different.

My birds came in a box and by the time they were a week old they were sleeping on the roost all by themselves. Oh and the first batch did the exact same thing. When I moved them to the coop and run they wanted to fly up to the highest spot they could find all on their own.

JT

 

[feathermaid]

My birds came in a box and by the time they were a week old they were sleeping on the roost all by themselves. Oh and the first batch did the exact same thing. When I moved them to the coop and run they wanted to fly up to the highest spot they could find all on their own.

JT

Yes, I can see that happening! Did you use a heat lamp in the brooder? I put a little roost in the brooder from day 1 and my chicks were on it all the time. But I was using mama heating pad so at night they went to sleep under there when they were still small. In a week or two they slept on top because (I assume) it was higher off the ground than the perch, and probably a little warmer. I raised the pad up higher so there was plenty of room underneath but they went on top. Same thing happened with my first batch of chicks too! So when they went to the coop it probably seemed pretty normal to get up on the roost bars.

I'm just wondering if the OP's chicks ever had the opportunity to try a roost when they were babies. I wonder if chicks grow up without one, will it seem normal to roost up high?

I've just heard other stories where people had the same problem trying to get their young birds up off the floor to roost. I does seem pretty strange that mature birds would be sleeping in a pile on the ground.

 

[attimus]

I have used both, they use both. The 2x4s are good because they are plained or smooth for the most part and will do less to irritate chicken feet upon impact, downside to the 4inch side is they generally curl there those around the front edge so depending on your birds size there might be some poop build up. Back to comfy feet, the 2x4s aside. Some of my chickens sleep 30 feet up in trees. Branches aren't very wide and aren't machine processed so ya there's that. Good idea on moving them until they get the picture though.

Attimus

 

[jthornton]

Yes, I can see that happening! Did you use a heat lamp in the brooder? I put a little roost in the brooder from day 1 and my chicks were on it all the time. But I was using mama heating pad so at night they went to sleep under there when they were still small. In a week or two they slept on top because (I assume) it was higher off the ground than the perch, and probably a little warmer. I raised the pad up higher so there was plenty of room underneath but they went on top. Same thing happened with my first batch of chicks too! So when they went to the coop it probably seemed pretty normal to get up on the roost bars.

I'm just wondering if the OP's chicks ever had the opportunity to try a roost when they were babies. I wonder if chicks grow up without one, will it seem normal to roost up high?

I've just heard other stories where people had the same problem trying to get their young birds up off the floor to roost. I does seem pretty strange that mature birds would be sleeping in a pile on the ground.

Yes, I had a white heat lamp the first time and figured out it was better to have a red one so they were not bothered by the light all night.

JT