Help with Roosting BAR!????

[OliviaDeHav]

Does the roosting bar have to be a certain height? I don't have any pics right now, but if you picture a 4x8 rectangle.... the nesting boxes are on the right side of the 8' wall and the door to the run is on the opposite side (the feeder is going right next to it on the wall closest to the entrance door. that leaves our back wall the 4' one for the roosting bar to go across..... Is there a height??? anything special need to be under it? other than shavings?
edit: also we are using a black birch branch... take off the bark?
thanks!
I just found something that said they need to be higher than the nesting boxes? is that true? if so... they will need to be like 4' off the ground! too high i'd think for my new little pullets only 6 weeks old?? NO??

update: The big girls are officially in their new coop! I wanted to update on the birch branch... it is TOO SLICK!! So we will be looking for something else tomorrow... the girls however have found a place to roost..... the window sill

 

[TheChickenProject]

My first roost bar was too high for the chicks (7 weeks old) at 18 inches. I made to others to act as steps to reach the roost and will remove them as they grow.
As for under the roost, i use a long planter tray to catch the night droppings. I plan to train the birds to actually use it one day

.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

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My coop is 4x6 also. Here's a photo of how we set ours up (this one shows the new window over the pop door that we added b/c it's been SO hot here this summer):

A better view of the droppings board:

Nest boxes on the wall opposite the roosts:

Our roosts aren't very high (maybe 16 inches?), but it IS important that they be higher than the nest boxes (otherwise, the chickens will want to sleep in the nest boxes for some reason. My neighbor has this problem as her roosts are lower than her nest boxes.).

Our roosts are removable for easy cleaning. I HIGHLY recommend putting a removable droppings board under the roosts. It saves BIG TIME on shavings and cleaning the coop. I just go in once in the morning and scrape down the board into a bucket and toss it into the compost heap. It doesn't get any easier than that!

You'd be surprised how adept the birds are at getting up to the roosts (although a ladder is helpful if they're high).
Good luck!

 

[OliviaDeHav]

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If you do>....share how you accomplish it

 

[OliviaDeHav]

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Our roosts aren't very high (maybe 16 inches?), but it IS important that they be higher than the nest boxes (otherwise, the chickens will want to sleep in the nest boxes for some reason. My neighbor has this problem as her roosts are lower than her nest boxes.).

Our roosts are removable for easy cleaning. I HIGHLY recommend putting a removable droppings board under the roosts. It saves BIG TIME on shavings and cleaning the coop. I just go in once in the morning and scrape down the board into a bucket and toss it into the compost heap. It doesn't get any easier than that!

You'd be surprised how adept the birds are at getting up to the roosts (although a ladder is helpful if they're high).
Good luck!

OUr nesting boxes are about 3 feet off the ground and 20 inches in height....give or take... Your layout is way more user friendly than ours!! we had to make due with an existing shed so we will have less space for the roost bars also...only the 4' on the back wall.... do your nesting boxes go outside? ours do with a lid for easy egg removal (or so we hope!)
Should we put a step roost??? we will have 6-7 hens at the very most.... will they use the lower one also?? a ladder is a good idea....

 

[OliviaDeHav]

Any thoughts on the black birch??? it is a tough bark to get off... i am worried about insects living under the bark and bothering the girls... we've done so much to try and prevent bugs from getting them.... i'd hate to sabotage it...

 

[Wolfwoman]

Nice coop

Do any of them roost on the droppings board?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

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Yes, our nesting boxes do extend outside the coop. Saves a ton of floor space. Here's the view of the nest boxes from outside:

I'm not sure about a step roost, as I've never used one. They'll use whatever you give them, whether it's one, two or a step. A tiny ramp ladder is easy to make and easy for them to use. My chickens never used the one we gave them even as teenagers. 6 or 7 at the most, you say? Have you heard of chicken math?!

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Thanks! And no, none of them roost on the droppings board. We actually just bought a security camera for inside the coop (SO FUN!!!) so I can tell you with certainty that they don't.

My Frizzles sleep in a pile on the floor <sigh> despite my best efforts to re-train them, but nobody roosts on the droppings board.

 

[OliviaDeHav]

I'm not sure about a step roost, as I've never used one. They'll use whatever you give them, whether it's one, two or a step. A tiny ramp ladder is easy to make and easy for them to use. My chickens never used the one we gave them even as teenagers. 6 or 7 at the most, you say? Have you heard of chicken math?!

ah...yes....chicken math. I have heard of it... it is where magically.... 2 chickens become 8 and 8 becomes 20!!! ah!!!!!

We have our nesting box outside also... i hear you on the floor space.... it is what we are trying to maximize

don't want the ladies feeling crowded

I was actually going to ask you too about them nesting on the board. Chicken cams! Sounds like a hoot! do you have it on the internet??? Or just home entertainment>
Any thoughts on Birch Bark? The black birch is tough to get off.... they'd probably eat any critters that tried to come out anyway i'm assuming...​

 

[Kev]

Dozen, just wanted to say LOVE that chicks sign inside your coop! Want!

Olivia, how about putting the permanent roost in and either do ladder or just put a temporary roost at a lower height.. it can be their 'training roost' for when they're little.. they can either use that or use it to 'step ladder' up to the permanent roost. Then remove when chicks are old enough to fly straight up to permanent roost. I agree, perhaps the little ones will surprise you.

For what it's worth, have 2 month old chicks roosting 6 feet off ground- their choice! Used to have pheasants and peafowl in those pens, they love roosting as high as possible.. . There is a roost 3 feet off ground, they jump to that then on up to the higher perch. I would not worry about them getting down from a 4 foot high perch once they are able to reach it. Not familiar with black birch, as long as it is not super rough, it should be okay to leave bark on.