how to get the most roosting bars in amish type coop?

[nurselisa13]

I have a lovely Amish coop for my girls, but chicken math has taken over and I need more roosting space. My coop is rectangular, door on short end, nesting boxes are on L side of door. Currently I have one short bar across far short end of coop from windows to wall, it's about 3 feet long. I have the main bar across long side of coop, about 8 feet long. I know there has got to be a better way to manage this. Would making a graded stair step type of roost in corner give me more footage? any other ideas?

 

[Penpal]

Try a ladder style, but use tree parts, don't spend any money. My birds all huddled on the top rung of the one we made. If they divide amongst the perches, then make a "real" one.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

This sounds like my same configuration. I've thought that I could add a poop tray and roost bar OVER the nest boxes if I want. I've noticed that sometimes the lowest of the pecking order roosts on the ledge of the poop tray. As long as that is wide enough to not get pooped on by the hens above, that would work for alot more roosting room.....

 

[nurselisa13]

It's very similar to that but my windows are above my nesting boxes making a whole side pretty much useless for roosting. I bought a bunch of "boot trays" I'm going to place under the roosts for easy clean up...

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I have windows above nest boxes too but I think that if I take off the wiindow shelf and slanted nest box roof and instead install a flat poop tray with roost bar attached via poop tray (not wall or window,) far enough out, that they wont poo on wall or window, it could work (and then I can get more chickens .) I think my other poop board is 22inches wide. I've measured and measured to get it right so that they don't poo on walls! I think it's 10.5 inches out from wall/window that works. Not sure if you have that kind of space.....

 

[SandyRiverChick]

It's very similar to that but my windows are above my nesting boxes making a whole side pretty much useless for roosting. I bought a bunch of "boot trays" I'm going to place under the roosts for easy clean up...

Boot trays are great, you might want to add a taller frame inside the tray edge so that you can get more sand in there........