I built a perch!

[zinnia5117]

I ripped a board like the board on the left in the top picture into 4 pieces to build this perch. It’s not perfect and was a big learning process! (Predrilling holes really does save time and is so much more accurate with placement.) The chicks (big chicks now) like it and up to 4 of them have sat on it at once in the brooder! It hasn’t ever tipped over which was my number 1 concern. It definitely seems to have helped them be happier. The only thing is they don’t sleep on it, but the 5 of them pile next to and on top of each other on one side. Oh well, once they move out to the coop maybe they’ll figure out roosting at night.

I feel like maybe the roost in the coop needs to be a little wider though. Both with more space lengthwise and across the bar itself.

I built something and it works! Don’t know if I have skills enough to build a coop but I am going to try!

 

[Helloworld]

You go girl, you go girl! Lol Rock it!

Please take the extra step and round the edges so you don’t have a bumble foot issue or you can replace top with a 2x4 so entire foot can rest. Congrats!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Good job! Be sure to sand it a bit to prevent foot problems.

I built a coop, and I had never built anything before. I didn't have proper tools, either. Now I do, and I'm getting ready to build coop #2!

You can do it! I'm super excited for you! Be sure to take lots of pics so you can share your progress with us and write an article for the coops pages!

 

[Aunt Angus]

And the 2x4 with the 4" side up is my girls' fave!

 

[zinnia5117]

You go girl, you go girl! Lol Rock it!

Please take the extra step and round the edges so you don’t have a bumble foot issue or you can replace top with a 2x4 so entire foot can rest. Congrats!

Thank you!! I used the rounded edge of the board facing up (it’s a special board my husband used to replace a deck board that is already rounded on the edges ) so I think it will be okay but thanks for the reminder because I won’t have that kind of board in the coop project. Sanding is so fun! I sanded all the surfaces of the perch so I wouldn’t give myself a splinter.

 

[jthornton]

Pretty good work, looks a bit high for the width of the feet. A 1 to 1 ratio of height to width is almost impossible to tip over. As the width gets less than the height the greater the risk of tip over when a plump hen flies up to it.

JT

 

[zinnia5117]

Yes, I was worried about that. I think because it’s more or less sandwiched between the walls of the brooder it can’t move as much. It’s harder to push over than I thought it would be. I don’t plan on using it in the coop when they are really big. But that is a good thing to keep in mind.