Chicken roost spacing from back wall

[McKinneyMike]

Ok I am working on my coop design and I was wondering what you all consider to be a good distance from the roost itself to the wall behind it? I don't want to waste space, but I don't want the birds to feel like it is too close to the back wall either. I was thinking of 36" off the floor of the coop, but is that too high for typical birds to get up to without so sort of ladder system?

 

[Chicks Galore3]

3 feet is a little high, especially for big breeds. I have a three-rung ladder system - on at 1', another and 2', and another at 3'. The bottom one is ~3 feet out from the wall, the top on is ~1' out, and the middle one ~2', I believe.

 

[my sunwolf]

Definitely depends on your breeds.

My roosts are 6" (Silkies and babies), 2ft (unlucky, submissive birds), 4ft (Buff Orps, Plymouth Rocks, Production Reds), and 6ft high (EEs, sex links, dominant birds). They are usually 1-3" wide. Minimum space from the wall is 1ft.

As Chicks Galore's setup demonstrates, it helps to have a ladder setup so chickens can jump to a low roost first, then a high roost.

Keep in mind that many breeders specifically keep roosts low so that their large breeds don't hurt a foot or a leg jumping down.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Definitely depends on your breeds.

My roosts are 6" (Silkies and babies), 2ft (unlucky, submissive birds), 4ft (Buff Orps, Plymouth Rocks, Production Reds), and 6ft high (EEs, sex links, dominant birds). They are usually 1-3" wide. Minimum space from the wall is 1ft.

As Chicks Galore's setup demonstrates, it helps to have a ladder setup so chickens can jump to a low roost first, then a high roost.

Keep in mind that many breeders specifically keep roosts low so that their large breeds don't hurt a foot or a leg jumping down.

About that - it is painful to see my Australorps get down from the top 3' high roost. They take forever to get down and usually stumble/land heavily. I think they're afraid of heights.

 

[McKinneyMike]

The reason that I was thinking of the 3' roost was from what i have read chickens like to roost as high as possible and I have my nesting boxes set about 18 off the coop floor. I wanted the roost to be high than the nesting boxes. I will add another roost at 24". I will have Orp's, Barred Rock's and maybe a Brahma or two. Is 2' too high of a roost for Australorp's? I just wanted to stay higher than the nesting boxes, but maybe I am just over thinking it again.

Thanks everyone for the input.

 

[scooter147]

Mine are 30 inches off the floor have been for 20 years. I have had all breeds including Jersey Giants and have not had an issue with them getting up or down. I cannot remember the last time I had a case of bumble foot either. So if wanting only one roost for space reasons try the 30 inches off the floor.

 

[my sunwolf]

The reason that I was thinking of the 3' roost was from what i have read chickens like to roost as high as possible and I have my nesting boxes set about 18 off the coop floor. I wanted the roost to be high than the nesting boxes. I will add another roost at 24". I will have Orp's, Barred Rock's and maybe a Brahma or two. Is 2' too high of a roost for Australorp's? I just wanted to stay higher than the nesting boxes, but maybe I am just over thinking it again.

Thanks everyone for the input.

You're definitely right that roosts should by higher than nest boxes--if it's the other way around, your chickens will probably roost in the nest boxes, which is not pleasant at all when gathering eggs.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have had big or heavy commercial breeds who couldn't get out of their own way and 3 week old game chicks who could fly 7 to 8 feet to get to mommy when she decided it was time to take them to roost with her. It all depends on your stock and on your physical plant. In my opinion it is not how high they must fly down from that leads to bumble foot it is more about how and on what they land.