Need help building roost

[vikingchick]

I could use some advice on building a roost.

I have pictures of my coop on my personal page, with info. about my plans. Would any of you care to advise me on what you would do?

Thanks!

 

[gkeesling]

I'm not what you might call an expert but I've learned a few things since I started raising my chickens. Be sure your roosts are higher than your nests and be sure you can clean under them. Under your roosts is the place you will get the biggest mess. I have read that you need to allow at least about 10" per chicken for roosting room. I converted an 8x10 backyard barn into a coop. I put the nests at floor level and at about 24" and the roosts start at about 40". However, the prime roosting spots seem to be up in the rafters of the coop. When I have to walk in there at night when the hens are on roost I just be sure I don't look up with an open mouth - just in case.

 

[4CiTyCHicHENs]

why dont you design them like bathroom towel bar...

but then I saw this, you could invert & then place newspaper or something that would catch all the crap & be easier to clean

but then I thought well just have 1 big bar (or a few @ diff heights) with a shelf like structure under it for catching crap, top the shelf with tile or laminate for easy cleaning...

 

[gsim]

Quote:

Mine are at 48" and the rafters are at 92". So far none of the chooks have gone to the rafters. If they do, I am closing them off with chicken wire. I keep a 24" wide linoleum covered poop board under the roosts and that is where they poop. I scrape it daily into a plastic bin with a cover.

The litter lasts a whole year this way without even turning it ever, and I intend to keep it that way.

 

[gsim]

Quote:
Great coop and really predator proof. Have you done any roof ventilation yet? If not, I would advise you to. Do nests at floor level and pay attention to the ability of your work to turn rain water so that it does not run into nests, via flexible flashing such as sheet rubber or vinyl baseboard.

]Do the roosts at ht of from 3 ft to 4 ft and be sure they are !2" from wall. Then drop down to about 2 ft ht and install a 24" wide poop board of 1/2" OSB with linoleum glued on top. Scrape daily

To keep coop smelling clean and air quality high. Litter will last a year that way and will not even require turning over. It has for me, and I use grass clippings which are free. Use wood for the roost. I use 2 x 2 but some people like 2 x 4 laid flat. Make sure they are 12" from wall.

 

[Chicken of the Sea]

Just about what everybody has said, roosts above the nest boxes and a poop board underneath for easy cleaning. I used to have roosts with a ladder arrangement but the birds fought over the top tiers on a nightly basis. Now I have the roosts at the same height and two parallel to each other, no more squabbling .

 

[ivan3]

Nice coop. One thing to consider, when installing roosts, is to make them easily removable. Either swing away/up, or shelf brackets on either end, fitted through U shaped television wall mounts, etc. This can save a lot of time.

 

[vikingchick]

Thanks everyone! Great ideas! I like the linoleum idea. I also hadn't thought about them fighting over spots, since we were initially only going to have 3-4 hens. Thanks again for wonderful advice.

 

[vikingchick]

BTW- Do any of you have any pictures of your coops?

 

[NorthCoastChick]

Question: How do you keep the chickens from sitting ON the poop board??
(Edited because I'm an idiot: Oh, you could just slant the board. Duh.

)