did I make a mistake installing new 2 by 6 roost?

[ladyearth]

Yesterday, I went out and picked out the best looking, less splintery NEW 2 by 6 inch precuts pine boards...to make 2 new roosts...
they(my crew) seem to have trouble turning around on the 2 by 4's had in both coops ....esp when I am checking them out at nite...
yeah I know they will and have poo on it more.
How should I seal it...????? I should have latexed polyurethane it...I am keeping the 2 by 4 ones close by. I rather have cedar though...
what about mineral oil....???? something natural...
I wish I kept several of those long "pippinglongstockings" socks I had lots of... thigh high cottonny socks...
I would put food grade sulfur or DE or poultry dust in them and lay on each long roost... presently I got couple regular ones spread out on the roost...
bound to be much softer for them
I asked them(LOL) no one answered...
I know read a lot on here but indecisive. already cleaned poo off this morning. LOL
what yall think?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Yesterday, I went out and picked out the best looking, less splintery NEW 2 by 6 inch precuts pine boards...to make 2 new roosts...
they(my crew) seem to have trouble turning around on the 2 by 4's had in both coops ....esp when I am checking them out at nite...
yeah I know they will and have poo on it more.
How should I seal it...????? I should have latexed polyurethane it...I am keeping the 2 by 4 ones close by. I rather have cedar though...
what about mineral oil....???? something natural...
I wish I kept several of those long "pippinglongstockings" socks I had lots of... thigh high cottonny socks...
I would put food grade sulfur or DE or poultry dust in them and lay on each long roost... presently I got couple regular ones spread out on the roost...
bound to be much softer for them
I asked them(LOL) no one answered...
I know read a lot on here but indecisive. already cleaned poo off this morning. LOL
what yall think?

Hi ladyearth! It sometimes takes a bit of time and trial and error to find what works. When we first equipped our coop, we put 2x6 boards along the walls. I was worried they would freeze their toes in the winter. We found that the birds did end up walking along the boards and pooping or sitting with the length of the boards and pooping on them. i finally resorted to using a hoe to clean the boards off...lol. I found it almost impossible to keep the boards clean.

I would think painting the boards might help. Oiling the boards might help for a while. I wonder if it might also make the poop into a paste? I don't know. I had thought of tacking news paper and peeling page by page off as they got dirty...I never did do that.

We ended up taking those down and we used small 2-3 inch fencing posts, four levels high, nailed to two 2x4s on their length for strength. Maybe a pic is a better idea to show you.

They still get poop on the posts but not nearly as much and what does get on sort-of drips off...I guess you'd say. It doesn't matter what tilt you put, it's always round for the bird to sit on. As for the birds and their toes...the birds who roosts on the these roosts and the bantams that roost on the ladder with the flat wooden rungs; they all seem to curl their toes and rest on the side of their feet to roost so it doesn't seem to make a difference...lol.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would not put any kind of fabric on the roosts. Too much opportunity for injury. A snagged claw could result in a broken leg or a bleed out.

Time will tell if the 2 x 6 results in a poopy mess. I use 2 x 4 on the flat, and simply squirt them down with simple green now and then, and scrape them down. When I clean the coop, I wipe the roosts down with a bit of permethrin, with extra application at junction of roost and wall.

 

[Poultryman120]

Yesterday, I went out and picked out the best looking, less splintery NEW 2 by 6 inch precuts pine boards...to make 2 new roosts...
they(my crew) seem to have trouble turning around on the 2 by 4's had in both coops ....esp when I am checking them out at nite...
yeah I know they will and have poo on it more.
How should I seal it...????? I should have latexed polyurethane it...I am keeping the 2 by 4 ones close by. I rather have cedar though...
what about mineral oil....???? something natural...
I wish I kept several of those long "pippinglongstockings" socks I had lots of... thigh high cottonny socks...
I would put food grade sulfur or DE or poultry dust in them and lay on each long roost... presently I got couple regular ones spread out on the roost...
bound to be much softer for them
I asked them(LOL) no one answered...
I know read a lot on here but indecisive. already cleaned poo off this morning. LOL
what yall think?

Have you tried using a dropping board? Place a 16" plywood about 6" below the perch. The birds will all choose to hop up on the perch and defecate on the board. The board can be scrapped off daily. You can sprinkle some lime where they defecate.

 

[chickens really]

Use a wire brush to clean off the poop..Also cedar is toxic to chickens, good thing you didn't use that..

 

[ladyearth]

Use a wire brush to clean off the poop..Also cedar is toxic to chickens, good thing you didn't use that..

cedar toxic Oh please LOL if ony used for a roost? Hubby bought a 2 by 6 bd from Amish but its so rough cut and heavy too much sanding and planing would be required>
poultryman I guess you havent seen my sparse chicken house pics>>
got rid of the pine shavings.. got several new bags still in clean garbage cans out in a shed
Put old rubber garage mats over the plywood and or pine bd flooring>
would have bought new MATSones but dont want the PLASTIC FUMES......
now if I can find the pics again
MY(most of the time) genius Hubby built the nicest portable roost prob EVER..

 

[chickens really]

Sorry I replied...Oh please..

 

[Sutremaine]

Hubby bought a 2 by 6 bd from Amish but its so rough cut and heavy too much sanding and planing would be required

Wire wool, or a wire brush?