How high the roosts for RIRs?

[ginasc]

The girls want to sleep in the nesting boxes. They haven't started
laying, but it gets nasty.

What kind of roosts work best, and how high off the floor
should they be?

 

[Judy]

The wide side of a 2x4, and higher than the nest boxes. Don't let them sleep in the nest boxes. If you have to block them off til they start laying, do so. Poopy eggs are yucky.

30" is probably a good average for roosts in a walkin coop. If they get really big, and there is no ramp or ladder, they could injure themselves hopping down form a higher roost.

 

[underground chickenman]

I have a walk-in coop and my top roost is nearly 6 feet high. My roost is 7 feet long and has three levels, each about 20 inches a part. Picture a really wide ladder with three rungs. All out of 2x4s. All 8 of my hens go to the top roost and crowd together on one half of it. Crazy chooks.

The trick to keeping them out of the nest box is to provide a roost that is higher than the nest boxes and that they can access easily, providing steps or a ramp if necessary. They should move to it after a night or two. If not, I would close off access to the nest boxes until they are roosting.

Good luck.