Hello,
This roost is what I came up with after reading and reading about height and the fighting over the top roost. Also as bulky as it looks, it is nice because it is movable/removable for the times of a deep cleaning. I will have 30 full size hens come winter. From what I've seen all 30 could fit on the top because my girls touch each other, Plus I have branches on my Nesting boxes where a couple sleep as well.
I made this roost while the hubby was constructing the coop.. very simple design, I used an old window for the poop tray frame keeping it as light as possible(glass removed and 2 more cross supports added/ pic below). Used left over 1x6 for the side rails and cut out half circles for logs to sit in. Attached to the side rails is a 2" wide x 7" long scrap 1x to drop the poop tray for removal clearance.
I then added the tilted front peices so they would not land on the poop tray before the logs. The front peice is tilted for a ladder to prop on it.
I constructed the above first and then added the 2x4 legs and and cross supports. Added a piece of vinyl flooring(had it laying around) for poop collecting.. the over all size was based on my window and turned out to be 48" deep and 57" wide and 44" high.
Logs are heavy enough they don't need to be attached. Pick them up for clean up or slide out vinyl. The pictures should be pretty self explanatory , but feel free to email me with any questions at [email protected]
Its obviously not perfect because my EE sleeps on the nesting box cupboard every night... I don't mind!
This roost is what I came up with after reading and reading about height and the fighting over the top roost. Also as bulky as it looks, it is nice because it is movable/removable for the times of a deep cleaning. I will have 30 full size hens come winter. From what I've seen all 30 could fit on the top because my girls touch each other, Plus I have branches on my Nesting boxes where a couple sleep as well.
I made this roost while the hubby was constructing the coop.. very simple design, I used an old window for the poop tray frame keeping it as light as possible(glass removed and 2 more cross supports added/ pic below). Used left over 1x6 for the side rails and cut out half circles for logs to sit in. Attached to the side rails is a 2" wide x 7" long scrap 1x to drop the poop tray for removal clearance.
I then added the tilted front peices so they would not land on the poop tray before the logs. The front peice is tilted for a ladder to prop on it.
I constructed the above first and then added the 2x4 legs and and cross supports. Added a piece of vinyl flooring(had it laying around) for poop collecting.. the over all size was based on my window and turned out to be 48" deep and 57" wide and 44" high.
Logs are heavy enough they don't need to be attached. Pick them up for clean up or slide out vinyl. The pictures should be pretty self explanatory , but feel free to email me with any questions at [email protected]
Its obviously not perfect because my EE sleeps on the nesting box cupboard every night... I don't mind!
