How far apart should roosts be? All the same height?

[Jamesthesilkie]

Wow I sound like I just got chickens yesterday with this question!!!

I am going to be adding 3 more roosts to my coop, and installing a poop board. I'm just curious on what y'all think is an appropriate distance for each roost, and if they should all be the same height.

I will be adding 1 small roost that's about 4 feet for my 2 bigger girls to be on, but that won't be where my other roosts and poop board are.

Thanks!

 

[Ebony Rose]

While you're adding roosts, might as well put one low enough for future chicks to use but not directly under the mature birds roosts (don't want them getting pooped on all night). It will strongly encourage the chicks to roost rather than lay on the floor and helps them further solidify their pecking order; as they age, the more dominant chicks will make their way up to roost with the others. This transition will help you in the decision process of who will be allowed to breed, who finds his way to freezer camp, etc. Since you're already adding roosts, it shouldn't be that much more work or expense.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I think I read somewhere that they should be 1.5 to 2 ft apart. Lots of people have them at different height. I don't. I just have an 8ft 2x4 in my coop for my 9 birds, and they all squish on about 3 ft of the thing. Haha! And mine is only 9 inches off the ground. Solved the bumblefoot issues in my flock.

I'll see if I can find the article I read when I was designing my coop.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Same height may help them not squabble over a preferred roost, since sitting up higher is what they usually desire. Mine happens to be ladder style, and yes everyone wants to squish up top.

Distance between roosts is about 14-16" minimum I think, though if you have more room a little more won't hurt.

Or you could consider doing an L or U shaped roost if you have space for it.

 

[NatJ]

Distance apart: far enough that chickens on one cannot peck chickens on the next roost. (People have already given some measurements, so I'm offering a reason for what distance is good.)

Observations about height:
I've had a coop with two roosts and the chickens all wanted the higher one.
I've had a different coop with 3 roosts at the same height, and the chickens all wanted the one at a particular end.
I don't know what made the one roost "better" when it was the same height, but the chickens were very sure about wanting that one!

 

[DobieLover]

That is very cool looking. I would love to try this.

I'm actually thinking about lowering the nest boxes and sending another board and 4' of roost across the front making it nearly a circle. But it will be the same height as the rest.
It's getting a little crowded in there.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Same height may help them not squabble over a preferred roost, since sitting up higher is what they usually desire. Mine happens to be ladder style, and yes everyone wants to squish up top.

Distance between roosts is about 14-16" minimum I think, though if you have more room a little more won't hurt.

Or you could consider doing an L or U shaped roost if you have space for it.

Good idea! I used an L shaped roost when we had to stay at my mom's temporarily. I had 7 girls on a 28 sq ft shed-turned-coop. The L shape gave them more than enough room.

 

[aart]

Yes they will be over the same poop board. I have about 15-20 chickens in this coop.

So you're going to add another 3 roosts like the one shown and put poop boards underneath them?

I would seriously consider single level roosts over poop board easy to clean.
2' deep, 7 and 4' long roosts 8" above the boards.
Easily holds 20 birds, some roost on edge or right on clean boards.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ok so like make one on the left of the coop, one on the right, and maybe another one in front of the other roosts already in there?

Or you can do it as 1 big, U or L shape, sort of like what @DobieLover has https://www.backyardchickens.com/attachments/roost-addition-and-modification-jpg.1841991/

 

[Jamesthesilkie]

Or you can do it as 1 big, U or L shape, sort of like what @DobieLover has https://www.backyardchickens.com/attachments/roost-addition-and-modification-jpg.1841991/

That is very cool looking. I would love to try this.