chicken roost

[chasep]

im trying to build a roost for my chickens that's relatively high so if a coon does get in it still cant get to them.
anyone have pics or suggestions for what to build?

 

[crazyhen]

If a chicken can get to it so can a coon! Sorry. Jean

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If you made the walls slick(metal sheathing) so they cant be climbed an there was no where else for them to climb up it would work. Hang the roosts from the roof at about 8 feet or more an have game hens or something similar that can fly good.

 

[lilchick]

Coons can climb to the highest rafters!
They can climb over all types of fences.
On top of houses and even pry off shingles to get to them!
A secure barn is the way to go....

 

[chasep]

thats what ill probably do because the walls are metal

 

[SussexInSeattle]

I've been told that if a raccoon can get in that it IS going to get them since they can climb straight up a tree.

I've also been told that since my dogs make a fair amount of racket when they are let outside, that a coon likely would stay out of my fenced yard (which has the chcken yard enclosed in it) so that they don't get caught in the fenceline should I happen to let the dogs out at any odd hour, so do you also have dogs and are they able to get near the chicken yard? I think the barking and scent marking just keeps the raccoons away even when the dogs are fast asleep in their beds inside.

Finally, the roost I made for my girls was simple. Take (2) 2X4 long boards. (6 or 8 feet long) (This will work only if you have a large coop or barn) I leaned the two boards in an upright position against one wall, about 4 or 5 feet apart. Next position the top part of the studs that are leaning on the wall close together, similar to the shape of the letter "A". (But it doesn;t have to be totally closed together like the letter "A", just generally that shape idea) Next take a section of 2X4 that is cut to about 5 feet and pre-drill a hole in each end where the board will be screwed or nailed to your two legs of the A frame that is resting against the wall, like the cross bar on the letter "A". I think my first cross bar was about 18 inches up off the floor.

I continued up the A frame, about every 18 inches or so, and I think I ended up with 4 cross bars, each slightly shorter than the one below it to match the A shape as it narrowed towards the top.

Each of the cross pieces is a roost and since the side legs are leaning on the wall at the top, it is stabilized by weight and gravity, I think the legs hit the floor about 3 or 4 feet away from the wall. I did not nail the top of the "A" to the wall, just in case I want to move the location of the roost some day . Because it is staggered away from the wall on the bottom, when the chickens who sleep on the top make poo, it generally falls to the shavings below rather than on their sisters.

I have chickens sleeping on the upper three levels. The younger ones prefer the top bar and the older ones prefer the second step up but sometimes there are chickens all over the thing. The very top bar I made out of a 1 inch thick dowel, which I pre-drilled and then nailed into postion at the top so they can choose a round perch or a square 2X4 to hang onto on the lower ones.