How high up do big chickens roost/nest

[superchemicalgirl]

Getting chicks in April and trying to figure out the final design and placement for nesting boxes and roosts. I will have a wide variety of chicken sizes, from Leghorns and EE to Jersey Giants, Buff Orpingtons and Brahmas.

Was wondering if 2 feet off the ground is too high for the lowest group of nesting boxes. I do plan on having a perch for them.

How about for roosts? I am planning on having a stair step type configuration for the roosts, starting around 2 feet off the ground then up about a foot for each subsequent step.

Is this too far off the ground for the big guys? How far up can/do your big chickens go?

Thanks for any help!

 

[jenjscott]

My orpingtons will roost on my 6 foot fence if I give them a choice. Just make your roosts higher than your nest boxes, They like to roost as high as they can get, so that will make them less likely to want to roost in the nest boxes.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Thank you so much. I'm glad I found this forum, you guys are the best, and fast with responses.

 

[sandy sea]

I made my roosts at 4, 5 and six feet, but they love to roost on the 2 by 4s that hold the roof up. It is about 10 feet up.

 

[dacjohns]

I have standard size and banty size chickens that work their way up a ladder and roost in the rafters about 7' up.

 

[pkeeler]

2' is not too high, especially if you use dlm. Make sure there is landing room. Big chickens need some space between the roost and wall to alight down to. If your roost is 2' up, I would put the nest boxes at 18".

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I'm sorry, what's a dlm?

 

[pkeeler]

dlm = deep litter method