How long should the roost be for 4 chickens?

[XilverAngel]

Hey all! we have 4 chickens, and we are almost done with our coop! We just made our roost, but because of the space limitation, it is only 35.5 inches long. Is that enough for 4 chickens? I don't think it will be enough but we cant really make it much longer....and its only 9 inches off the ground; too low?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Sounds small but I bet they all manage to fit.

 

[giasmom]

Hi, I think the 35 inches is long enough, but I would go higher than the 9 inches high if at all possible. My chickens would never roost on something that low. The roosts should be higher than the nesting/laying boxes.

 

[chickenlittle32]

I made the first roosts too short...and they started shoving each other off to have enough room. I have read somewhere that the roosts should be high enough for them to jump off and have to use their wings to land so it doesn't hurt their legs.

 

[XilverAngel]

Hi giasmom! THe nesting boxes are on the ground, they are not raised at all. So would that make a difference? or should we still make it higher?

 

[giasmom]

Quote:
I'm no expert, and I don't know what your set up is like or how predator proof your coop is. I do know all my chickens like being up high. They will always go to the highest roost which is at close to 5 ft. Our roost are set at 3,4, & 5 ft. However our coop is 8 ft tall. Just try giving them a few differant heights if possible I'll almost guarentee they will choose the highest point possible to roost. I think they feel safer the higher they are. Hope this helps you some....

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Is there a place they can stand on top of the nests? Is it higher than the roosts. If it is they will roost there.

 

[CHIC]

The higher the better on the roosts... They feel safer up high, just like any other bird. They should have at least 12 linear inches of space per bird on the perch. Your numbers fall slightly short but hopefully it will work out. Do you have standards or bantams? You should be fine if you have any bantams

 

[XilverAngel]

Thanks giasmom! And rebelcowboysnb: the nest box is higher than the roost, but it is slanted on top. We made the roof of the nest boxes slanted so that they wont nest there. and CHIC: we have standards...i believe....our chickens are Australorps and RIRs. Not bantams i dont think... i did think it was too short, but our entire coop is only 50 something inches long, and it cant go along the width, because there isnt enough room. So that was basically the limit...a little longer is possible i suppose, its just that we want to make sure there is space for food and water too.

 

[CHIC]

Is there any way you can put up two perches? You could make them diagonal.