I'm afraid they are going to hurt themselves

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Hey folks,
I have 8 3 1/2 month old pullets, all heavy breed, 2 each White Plymouth Rock, Barred Plymouth Rock, Wellsummer and Jersey Giant. I designed what I thought was a very clever roost and poop slide configuration in my 4'X8' coop (see photo).

There's a final top roost that you can't see in the photo.


The pullets all tend to roost for the night on the top two roosts and seem happy and the poop slide works well. The problem comes in the morning. Six of the eight pullets seem to carefully hop down from the top roost, to the next roost, to the next and then down to the bottom roost before hopping to the floor and running around to the door. However, both of the Barred Plymouth Rocks just fly down from the top roost and a scary angle and land with a thump on the floor. I know they aren't at their full size and weight and I imagine them really hurting themselves sometime.

Any suggestions or words of advice?

 

[CarolJ]

I can't say for sure, but I believe that if they were hurting themselves, they wouldn't do it. Chickens just look and act awkward and funny. I will look forward to reading what more experienced chicken owners have to say about this. Good luck!

 

[laceynoelle]

Dont worry about it, if they were getting hurt they wouldnt do it. Carol's got the right idea. :] If I had wings, I'd jump off of tall things and flap like mad too.

 

[MaureenC]

I read on here somewhere about someone's bird thumping down hard on a bare floor and breaking something (can never find these posts afterward, sorry) I think it was a breastbone.

So I keep the floors all well covered with pellets because mine do the same kind of crazy evil kenevil stunts.

 

[Patricia Jane]

Mine do the same thing and the thud can be pretty loud. I just make sure I have alot of padding on the floor so they have some cush when landing. I have lg. breeds too and they are awkward.

 

[BairleaFarm]

Ive got angled roost as well. Some of my birds dive bomb of the top while others walk down. I dont see a problem with you set up. My highest roost is 8' and ive never had any issues.

 

[jason9111]

I just added a few more roosts in mine. Decided to give them something a little higher. The tallest is about 8'. My coop if about 8 x 8 or so and about 8 ft tall. There is a ladder that takes them to the first leg of the roosts which is about 4 ft tall. After that, its on them. The first night all 3 of them were on the top roost. Several other choices, but they seemed set to all gather on top. This is just a typical tendancy of a chicken. I was concerned at how they would get down too. They kind of flew down the next morning and everytime thereafter. I did wonder after building it if it was a bad idea considering they could possibly get hurt. Mine are pretty healthy too and just getting egg ready. So far they have been fine and I agree with the others, if they got hurt coming down, they wouldn't get up quite so high again.

 

[drumstick diva]

I've read they can be injured when they land with a thud. I think you need closer bars upthe ladder to roost. , it does seem a very steep angle. I wouldn't say" IF it hurt they wouldn't do it again ."We're talking about chickens not humans. If they get hurt landing they take it in stride because they don't know getting down doesn't have to hurt.

 

[tellynpeep]

Repeated minor traumas can predispose a bird to bumblefoot. Happened with my Welsummer rooster. I had to lower the perch in the coop for that reason.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Thanks for all the advice folks. I've noticed that where they land the shavings always get pushed out of the way by the force of their landing. Perhaps that is another of the nightly chores I need to add to my list, re-distributing the shavings and adding new ones to cushion the morning landing. I'm not sure that placing the roosts closer together won't create a new problem...having the chickens on the higher roosts pooping on the ones below.

I love my chickens but they really aren't all that smart!