Ladder Type Roost Design Questions

[redsix]

My chicken tractor is almost complete. I plan on posting some completed building photos soon. I want a ladder type roost and I am trying to figure out what slope I should set it at. I'm thinking 45 degrees would be about right. I have a 7.5 ft. height to work with. So, if I set it at 45 degrees, what do you think the horizontal spacing of the actual roost poles need to be? I know they need to be spaced far enough apart so the chicken that is above doesn't poop on the chicken that is below. I plan on having the first roost 14 inches off the floor. I plan on using 2 by 4's on edge for the main supports and 2 by 3's turned flat ways for the roosts. Thanks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I know ladder type are good for various reasons but depending on the number of chickens, a single roost can work if you can provide enough linear space.
Other than pooping on each other, another thing to avoid is to have them spaced such that the chickens below can't access the vent of the chicken above or they'll start pecking the vent and possibly cannibalize.
I think 14 inches is way too low for the first roost. Most breeds like to go as high as possible to roost. I think my lowest roost in any building is about 30".
Also, the roosts need to be significantly higher than nests or you'll likely have birds preferring to sleep in nests.

 

[redsix]

I will raise the lower roost pole up a bit. I made a sketch and it looks like if I put my ladder at a 45 degree angle, spacing the roosts at 15 inches vertical and 15 inches horizontally apart looks pretty good. The spacing on the diagonal would be about 21 inches.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm trying to visualize how we had them spaced and the degree angle when we had a large hen house where all the birds were in the same building. I think we had it flatter. The roosts were all above a slanted wood base to let poop tumble to the bottom. The nest boxes were under the poop board. Hens would enter from under and behind the ladder/poop board. There were long doors to open for the nests.
Don't know if that makes sense but whatever keeps them from pecking and pooping on each other with plenty of space will work.