Need advice…where would you put the roost bars?

[Sally PB]

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.

And a soft surface to land on, so they don't injure their feet. The higher the roost, the more important that is.

 

[Ragfrey]

Thank y’all very much.
I have a great plan now!

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

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.

I had 2 pullets get leg injuries before I realized it was because i had two roosts too close. They would jump back and forth. Good luck!

 

[perkolator]

IMO it doesn't really matter where you put it, as long as it's high up that's where they're going to prefer. So basically I'd locate it where it's most convenient for humans to enter the coop and do maintenance. My gut says don't put the bar inline with their chicken door, because that's where you'll get the most poop accumulation and they'll be walking through it going to/from the doorway. Soft landing is definitely a good idea, just don't know how soft sand is going to be in that space with a hard floor, since it doesn't look like you'll be able to make it very deep for them without spilling over your chicken and human door thresholds

 

[Ragfrey]

IMO it doesn't really matter where you put it, as long as it's high up that's where they're going to prefer. So basically I'd locate it where it's most convenient for humans to enter the coop and do maintenance. My gut says don't put the bar inline with their chicken door, because that's where you'll get the most poop accumulation and they'll be walking through it going to/from the doorway. Soft landing is definitely a good idea, just don't know how soft sand is going to be in that space with a hard floor, since it doesn't look like you'll be able to make it very deep for them without spilling over your chicken and human door thresholds

Yeah…
I am kinda re evaluating and wondering if it would be smart to just lower that roost bar down from 42” to 32”. The chickens will be loosing their view out the window and the coolness from the heat but being lowered will decrease leg/feet injuries. I am not quite sure of the right thing to do here- I’ve never had chickens.

I plan to build poop trays under the roost so that will eliminate them walking in it.

 

[Krugerrand]

Yeah…
I am kinda re evaluating and wondering if it would be smart to just lower that roost bar down from 42” to 32”. The chickens will be loosing their view out the window and the coolness from the heat but being lowered will decrease leg/feet injuries. I am not quite sure of the right thing to do here- I’ve never had chickens.

I plan to build poop trays under the roost so that will eliminate them walking in it.

That's getting to be a low stoop to scoop poop from the tray.

 

[Ragfrey]

That's getting to be a low stoop to scoop poop from the tray.

Bam…you are right.
Good thinking!!

Hmmm…go back up then if I do poop trays.

Damn, so much problem solving building a coop/run.

 

[Krugerrand]

Bam…you are right.
Good thinking!!

Hmmm…go back up then if I do poop trays.

Damn, so much problem solving building a coop/run.

Some people keep an upside-down chair in their coop/run so they can do a quick flip to sit. You could go low and sit down to scoop. Perhaps not ideal, but whatever works best?

 

[Borders3]

Bam…you are right.
Good thinking!!

Hmmm…go back up then if I do poop trays.

Damn, so much problem solving building a coop/run.

If they are like mine they will jump up onto the poop tray then hop up onto the roost problem solved. They get down in reverse. I have a layer of straw on the floor to cushion their landing. By having poop trays it doesn't matter if it goes above the pop door. I have mine in an L shape so the longest roost is in front of me when I open the door, then an adjoining roost to the left side above the pop door. So much easier to deal with.

 

[Kiki]

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?

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I think I'd make them higher/taller.
And yes I would put a ladder or a big stump for them to jump up on.
Ladder closer to the nest box side.