How high to make the roosts? Plus does this plan sound good?

[OScarlet]

We are planning to make a 4x4 square that has 3' tall walls and is 1' off the ground (so we can cut our 8' redwood posts in half and so we can use a precut piece of plywood -- we are lazy!). We want to make a hipped roof out of 2x4s with a ?2"? overhang and then either sheath it with OSB (we got some foil covered stuff in the home depot scrap bin) and asphalt shingles or use old fencing to make a lapped roof (but then we have to figure out what to do with the seams at the corners). The 'walls' are just going to be open hardware cloth we think as we live in San Diego and it is extremely mild.

How high should we put the roosts? and how far apart should they be? We could put one in the middle of the house at the top of the walls but because of the angle of the roof I'm not sure how many chickens would squeeze up there.

Also I asked in another thread but I don't think I got an answer, can nest boxes be in the outside run or do they have to go in the coop? If they go in the coop does it subtract from the minimum floor space for each chicken?

 

[chynasparks]

I am new at raising chickens, but I do know they like privacy for their nesting, kind of a secluded place. You don't want them to break eggs by running around in the run. The size of the entire coop depends on how many chickens will be housed in it. Will they free range or stay confined. Roosts should be higher than the nests to discourage them from sleeping in them. Also they like a safe secure place to roost at night, they want to be hidden from predators view. My chickens have to be confined so the have an enclosed run with upper level nest/roost area that is enclosed. They go up the chicken ladder through the pophole and get up on the roost. They aren't laying yet so they haven't used the nests. The roost is higher than the nests, but low enough so when full grown they won't hit their heads getting on the roost. We plan to make a run to put them in and move them around the yard. In just raising 4 pullets. Good luck with your coop

 

[OScarlet]

thanks what if I put a nesting box in the run?

gratuitous progress shot!

 

[chynasparks]

They may use them but chickens like a secluded area to nest. Out in the open they'll go under a bush, maybe in a hollow space in the trunk of a tree (if big enough to fit). If you found a way to create seclusion around the nest boxes they would use them. Are you building the house and attaching a run? If your plans to just have a place for them to roost just keep in mind they like to be high up off the ground but not so high that it causes stress to get up to it, and they need space above. They won't use the roost of its too close to the roof that they bump into while getting on.

 

[BStump]

I would put the nest boxes inside the coop - it would be more private that way and during the winter they could stay inside where it is warmer.

In my last coop, I had two levels of roosts. They used both. Just make them high enough that they can jump easy from one to the next. Ditto what @chynasparks said: Make sure they have enough headroom.

 

[OScarlet]

what is "enough" headroom? Is there a recommendation? It would be easier to put it in now but we have no chickens...

 

[chynasparks]

The best way for me to describe it is to imagine a full grown chicken who may stand 18" high. Keep in mind that when roosting they are crouched down low but they do need head room to get up in the perch. If you are getting bantams, the are a lot smaller. If you have an idea of what types if chickens you will be getting. Bantam breeds are much smaller dont need as much room Orpingtons are big birds tend to get fat can't fly up as well so that has to be considered. Will you have room to provide a couple if levels of roosts.

 

[OScarlet]

No idea! Once we have the coop done then we will consider what birds to get LOL

The house is going to be 36" tall. I have no idea what that means roostwise.

 

[chynasparks]

We made the coop area of our enclosure 36"x34" high. We have room for 2 nest boxes. We made a caddy style poop board. The roost (center piece of caddy) is 8 inches high from the floor. That gets them higher than the nest boxes and room to become bigger birds. We only planned on 4 birds. They go up their ladder every night to the roost. The sides to this caddy is three inches high and they sometimes roost on the sides of it. I want them on the tall roost but, hey, it's their house lol