Chicken roosts problem

[Regina Larsen]

Please post pictures of the inside of your coop. You want to try to hit 1 foot of roost space per bird.
I prefer to have all the roosts at the same height.

So do i. There is always the hierarchy in position on the bar but minimizes pushing and squabbling to work out who gets what height

 

[Chicalina]

I agree you need to move the bar away from the wall a bit. Bin that useless ladder which takes up too much space and provides little roosting space and fosters arguments over who gets the top rung. Put another 2x4 in at the same height as the other one. Then you'll be grand.

 

[chickenmomandmygirls]

So I have twelve chickens and three 3 foot long roosts. But they don’t really use the bottom one because it’s only 8 inches off the ground. They are super crowded on the two roosts and are pecking each other for the best roosting spots. When they get bigger I don’t think they’ll have enough room (they are only 10 weeks old) when they are older. I do have room to put in two more roosts that are as high as the two highest ones. Should I put them in?

 

[CreveChris]

8x4 is enough for 8 chickens. Remember that these are recommended minimums.

Here's a quote from an article I'm working on:

Love this article, and to these points, I'm providing an open-air coop with one of those cheapy coops in a corner of it in a tropical climate because the chickens can be stuck in the run without free-ranging when it rains.I also have a chicken tractor for pasture, but it's not great during heavy rainstorms like we've been having the past week or so.

My focus is on ventilation, but also giving the flock space to get away from each other--oddly enough the hens are the most obsessed with their own daughters (I use an incubator and brooder) and "peck" on them the most. I tuck food and water containers (with horizontal nipples) all over the space in case someone gets thirsty while self-sequestered from her bully.

The excellent article is great for planning for the worst. My 9 have over 200sqft of predator-protected coop/run (open air) and 2 8-foot furring strips for roosts, The cheapy coop inside the big coop has roosts and nest boxes, generally used by the omega hens who need more privacy.

Maybe your flock gets along better than mine--I had to crate one hen during a moult, and she's still pretty thin, although back in gen pop. My flock are all related and act like it, pecking each other to get what someone else has, etc. And they are sweet and gentle birds.

In my recent experience, lots of room makes all the difference in chicken happiness.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

So I have twelve chickens and three 3 foot long roosts. But they don’t really use the bottom one because it’s only 8 inches off the ground. They are super crowded on the two roosts and are pecking each other for the best roosting spots. When they get bigger I don’t think they’ll have enough room (they are only 10 weeks old) when they are older. I do have room to put in two more roosts that are as high as the two highest ones. Should I put them in?

I have 2 8ft long roosts for them and all 6 still attempt to squeeze onto only 3ft of each. All cramped on one end! It was cute at first, but, now that they are 16wks, we have issues. Serious pecking going on at night on the roost. This AM one pullet has 75% of her comb hanging off! Its horrible! I have her isolated inside in my kitchen. I had to run and buy some Vetericyn to clean the wound! The more roosts the better is my current opinion! I am going to have to redesign their roosting bars so this behavior doesnt continue! Do not overlook the roosting situation.

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

Having all the roosts at the same height works the best.
As well as having enough roost space for everyone on a single bar.
1ft+ for each bird.
My coop was made with pallets and the roost bar isn’t even ever used.
The majority roost on the highest plank that attaches to the ceiling arches.
The rest sleep on varying levels of the pallets. The lead cockerel sleeps on the highest pallet on the far side so he can see everyone. The chicks roost on the highest pallet and some roost on the ceiling plank.
The whole interior of my coop is roosting spots so I’m ultimately going to remove the actual roost bar I put in but I’ll wait maybe in winter they will use it to huddle together

 

[Chicalina]

Having all the roosts at the same height works the best.
As well as having enough roost space for everyone on a single bar.
1ft+ for each bird.
My coop was made with pallets and the roost bar isn’t even ever used.
The majority roost on the highest plank that attaches to the ceiling arches.
The rest sleep on varying levels of the pallets. The lead cockerel sleeps on the highest pallet on the far side so he can see everyone. The chicks roost on the highest pallet and some roost on the ceiling plank.
The whole interior of my coop is roosting spots so I’m ultimately going to remove the actual roost bar I put in but I’ll wait maybe in winter they will use it to huddle together

would love to see pics of your coop!

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Having all the roosts at the same height works the best.
As well as having enough roost space for everyone on a single bar.
1ft+ for each bird.
My coop was made with pallets and the roost bar isn’t even ever used.
The majority roost on the highest plank that attaches to the ceiling arches.
The rest sleep on varying levels of the pallets. The lead cockerel sleeps on the highest pallet on the far side so he can see everyone. The chicks roost on the highest pallet and some roost on the ceiling plank.
The whole interior of my coop is roosting spots so I’m ultimately going to remove the actual roost bar I put in but I’ll wait maybe in winter they will use it to huddle together

HHH, hey! So, i’ll post a pic of the current roost. Its 2 8ft long roosts that are only about a ft apart. At night the 6 girls all to to one corner and 3 will be on one roost, and the other 3 on the other roost. Ok, lots of fighting over the ‘window seat’. I just removed one bar, and put it lower, like 4 inches above coop floor and left the other one alone, which is like 12 inches above the floor/litter. There are only 5 in there now. Should i just remove one roost bar all together or leave it lower?? Thanks in advance!

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

HHH, hey! So, i’ll post a pic of the current roost. Its 2 8ft long roosts that are only about a ft apart. At night the 6 girls all to to one corner and 3 will be on one roost, and the other 3 on the other roost. Ok, lots of fighting over the ‘window seat’. I just removed one bar, and put it lower, like 4 inches above coop floor and left the other one alone, which is like 12 inches above the floor/litter. There are only 5 in there now. Should i just remove one roost bar all together or leave it lower?? Thanks in advance!

 

[3KillerBs]

HHH, hey! So, i’ll post a pic of the current roost. Its 2 8ft long roosts that are only about a ft apart. At night the 6 girls all to to one corner and 3 will be on one roost, and the other 3 on the other roost. Ok, lots of fighting over the ‘window seat’. I just removed one bar, and put it lower, like 4 inches above coop floor and left the other one alone, which is like 12 inches above the floor/litter. There are only 5 in there now. Should i just remove one roost bar all together or leave it lower?? Thanks in advance!

I'm not sure why you removed the roost?

IMO, options are always good and from what I've read it's good to enable the low-status hens to be able to roost out of reach of the dominant hens.