Need advice…where would you put the roost bars?

[Ragfrey]

Louisiana- hot
future 11 hens
- Wyandotte’s
-Speckled Sussex
-FCBM
-EE’s
-Welsummer
-Sapphire Splash

8x8 coop- sand floor
16x24 run- sand floor

Would really appreciate your thoughts and advice on where to put the roost bars.

Windows on east/west wall- 21x34
Window bottom is 52” from floor on both walls. I want to put the roost bar high enough (42”?) so they can sit on it and look out the windows but am somewhat concerned it’s too high?







- north side wall- window on floor 21x37
-maybe put a roost bar here at this large window but how high? and it will be lower than the side window roost bars, is that okay? That middle brace is 30” tall.




- south wall- nest box with screen vents on top.

 

[3KillerBs]

Anywhere that is noticeably higher than the nests and at least a foot from the wall should be fine. In your area cold drafts aren't likely to be an issue (though sideways rain could be).

 

[Ragfrey]

Thank you!!

 

[Kiki]

I think I'd put one here on this wall

Across to this wall:

 

[Ragfrey]

That’s what I was thinking so I cut some boards just to see and it looks pretty good.

Do you think I need to build a ladder? If so, where do I put it?

 

[Bananabread]

I personally would do the far wall, opposite the door you walk-in. That way, you can entire at night while their resting and pluck one off if you need to do an inspection. You could consider a ladder style roost. As well, some people often will put them on hinges so you can raise them for cleaning or find a way to make them removable with brackets.

 

[Bananabread]

Just like Kiki showed

 

[Ragfrey]

I gotcha.
Just put one roost bar across the far wall…that way I will have enough room to have a ladder going up to it.

 

[Bananabread]

For an 8x8' coop, with 11 hens, you'll probably want two roost bars. Particularly when you factor in that next year...you'll probably want 4 more "exotic hens" and maybe a rooster to incubate and hatch some eggs out the following year...and then new hens for baby roo...and then...and then...and then....

I would definitely see if you can think about at least 12-16 feet of roost bar space. They can be parallel (that's how mine are), or in a stepped/ladder style so they don't roost on top of one another

 

[3KillerBs]

I forgot to say last night,

Chickens fly at about a 45-degree angle so they need to have sufficient room to fly up and down -- roughly the same distance as the roost is high.