Heated Roost?

[NovaAman]

I was wondering if anyone has made a heated roost for their chickens. Not a heated coop, just the roost... I was looking at bird products for parrots and such, and they have heated perches. SO, obviously I thought about roosts...

 

[gritsar]

Nah, chickens take care of heating their feet the old fashioned way. When a chicken jumps up on a roost - and it's an appropriate roost - they don't grasp with their feet all night. They grasp just long enough to steady themselves, then release their grasp and rest on their keel bone, covering their feet in the process and keeping them toasty warm.

By appropriate roost I mean a flat board - a 2 x 4 with the "4 side" up; which make roosting easier for the chicken and better for their feet in the long run.

 

[NovaAman]

Yeah, I have them between 4 and 10 inches wide. The birds then pick their favorite. Just was wondering if anyone did it..

 

[magicdukeman]

Chickens do not rest on there kneel bones, Amy avian vet explained to me that round roost are best because the grib the roost and as they fall alseep they have a muscles that holds them steady, flat roost are not healthy for there feet as it keeps the feet muscles always stretched out. There belly feathers keep there toes warm and after seeing them I can see exactly what he is talking about

 

[Folly's place]

Chickens are forest animals, and want to roost in trees on branches. Bark covered saplings and branches, 2" to 3" diameter. Easy, often free, and what mother nature planned for them. Mary