Fighting over prime real-estate

[SobbaChickens]

In my coop I have a total of 14ft of roosting bars, 2"x4"s (wide side up). One board runs the length of the coop (north/south) and attaches to the south wall right next to one of the windows, it's roughly 3ish ft off the ground. The other roost runs the width of the coop along the south end. It sits above the nesting boxes and maybe 6"- 8" under the tallest roost so in the corner the roosting boards cross each other. For now the chickens hop on top of the nesting boxes and then from roost to roost.

My issue is that although the 2nd (lower) roosting bar is still close to the window it's not quite level with the window like the tallest roost is. All six chickens are cramming themselves into a 1-1.5ft section of roost and keep trying to walk over each other to get as close to the window as possible (temp is not a issue). Last night my "numero uno" chicken didn't get up on the roost quickly enough and in her attempt to get a spot it appeared that she has trying to peck the others toes. I can't change the roosting bars until Friday so I'm wondering if I should let them be or try and block off the section of roost that they all keep fighting over.

Doesn't show the 2nd roost but across from my brothers head is the prime real estate.

 

[LoneOak]

They will always fight over the prime spot and generally all gather together in a spot that looks like its way to small for all the birds that try to squeeze in. I've seen 10 birds on a roost pole only 3 ft long when there is 15 more feet of pole just a few inches away. Sometimes they do real stupid stuff, at least to a humans eyes!!

You can leave your poles alone and they will adapt to whatever they have available, once again fighting over the prime spot.

 

[MoonShadows]

I put in two 8 foot roosts for 16 chickens thinking they would have plenty of roosting space, but they all cram onto one side of the top roost. I can't believe so many chickens can fit into that small a roosting space, but they do. It stopped bothering me once I realized it wasn't bothering them. After all, if they minded it, there is still plenty of room to spread out.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I only have four roost bars all at the same height thought that would elevate the problem but they still jockey for position it is a way to enforce the natural pecking order as they get older.

 

[SobbaChickens]

Thanks everyone!! You've all made me feel much less worried. My girls haven't even been in their coop for 48hrs yet, and besides the small roost in their brooder I've never actually seen chickens roost so I didn't realize they would all sleep so close together

 

[MoonShadows]

I once read somewhere on this forum that most of what we do trying to make our chickens' lives easier/better/more comfortable is really done to make us feel better; they are tough birds. Give them a good coop and run, good food and fresh water, and they will take care of the rest.

 

[brushfloss]

I could not agree with you more MoonShadows!

 

[SobbaChickens]

I once read somewhere on this forum that most of what we do trying to make our chickens' lives easier/better/more comfortable is really done to make us feel better; they are tough birds. Give them a good coop and run, good food and fresh water, and they will take care of the rest.

Agreed 110%! I grew up with both sets of grandparents owning livestock and crop farms so I'm okay with the roughness of life but it was very very easy to let my chickens become my beloved pets lol. My grandma's chickens lived in half of a small barn and had free access to everything. If one chased us then grandma grabbed it by the neck and buh-bye birdy lol then we dined on chicken noodles! But now I can't imagine doing that

 

[MoonShadows]

Oh, and I should have mentioned.....the past week or so, a few of my girls have decided to roost on the cross beams of the trusses that are about 6 1/2 feet off the coop floor. They must be flying up from their 4 1/2 high 2nd roost bar. Well tonight I went in to shut one of the windows, and 9 of them were roosting up on the cross beams....AND, those beams are on the short side of a 2x4, only
1 1/2" wide. Now, don't these silly birds know they are "supposed" to be more comfortably on the flat side of the 2x4 roosts? Heck, every one at BYC says so!

I will probably block off these high beams with some wire or wood slats or something...not because I mind them roosting that high, but if they jump down from 6 1/2 feet, someone could get injured....probably me!