how high is to high for roosts

[ontimeborzoi]

Probably a considerable factor in "how high" is the breed of chickens you have. My polish fly quite well and like to be as high up as they can possibly get. The large fowl Cochin's seem content at 18 inches. And they still sound like bricks hitting the floor when they dismount in the morning.

I'm surprised by how often I am surprised : )) by what I observe when I take the time to just hunker down and watch. Enough room between the perch and the wall so no one has to brush the wall with tails or heads? Oops. Are they hitting their wings on the ceiling? Oops again. If they need to fly down, any obstacles on the way down? Stay awhile and watch to see how the adults maneuver in their coop. What worked for chicks isn't going to work for very long and I have been a little behind every once in awhile in enlarging and expanding their interior space.

I ended a lot ( but not all ) of the pushing and shoving that goes on at roost time by having roosts at only one height. I like the idea of the parallel rail that they can hop onto and use to access spots along the roost. Having to fly onto a roost is massively disruptive to everybody. I haven't made that change yet though.

Possibly other people have more talented fliers! LOL Roost placement has been no simple matter in MY coops.

 

[AllenWMiller]

The breed dictates the roost. Flightless (well not flightless but rather heavy breeds that are hard pressed to fly) like Jersey Giants roosts should be only a foot or two at most off the floor. Likewise, the depth of litter on the floor should be at least 4 inches deep for every foot of roost off the floor to protect against injury such as Bumble-foot and other leg ailments. I never recommend a multi level roost as this invites trouble. Make certain there is adequate clearance from the wall and ceiling when locating a roost so that the fowl can fully turn and stand and flap and fly without hitting structure. I don't recommend a roost higher than 4 feet and 3 feet is preferable especially for winter housing as the higher in the coop the more chance of freezing and draughts.

 

[swatchick]

I've got mine all at the same level and at about 4 feet, though there's a ledge about five feet up that some prefer. I put a short wooden step ladder to one side of it, and those who like to fly up do so and those who like a 'boost' jump up onto the ladder first. On the way down they dive bomb into about a foot of shavings (I do deep litter). So far everyone seems quite happy. I like having them up high in part because that feels more like what birds usually like, in part because I use a poop hammock and it allows all the space under the roosts to be useful floor space, and partly because heart rises and I like to believe, on the rare icy cold night here, that it helps.

 

[ScottM]

Reading this makes me feel better about the interior I just finished (https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/615721/questions-and-a-little-encouragement-along-the-way).

 

[AllClear]

I have stair stepped roosts. I you have an old junk wooden ladder lean it up against your roost. They will climb it all the way to the top then spread out on the roost. Some will even stay on the ladder.
An Upside down 5 gallon pail in front of the roost may be all you need too.

 

[bj taylor]

i see i have my roost wrong. a friend built it & i didn't have the heart to tell him the steps were too close to each other. now i'm convinced i need to re-configure my roost before my chicks (if they ever get here) get big enough to go live in the coop.

 

[junglebird]

My chickens and turkeys like to roost high. They have no problem flying up to the 4' and 5' tall roosts - but our coop is big enough to give them the space they need to fly both up to the roosts, then safely back down.

 

[CoosaQuail]

I have a medium size pine tree beside my chicken coop. It's about 30 feet high. I trained my flock of chickens to roost in this tree and them battle for position every evening. some of them get 15 - 20 feet up. They love this tree and so far I haven't lost any birds to owls or anything.

 

[Lollipop]

Rule of thumb for chicken roost is that it is high enough for at least one wing flap to soften the landing, or low enough for a soft jump landing. The main objective in placing a roost is a safe, soft landing to preveny injuries.........Pop

 

[LittleChooks]

Would a buff Orp manage to fly up to a roost about 3ft high?