New Coop build questions

[AzChickMama]

I have read so many different things. What height should roosts be from the ground? I have a blank 10x10 shed I’m turning to a coop. We will have a poop board as well. I have some chicks that are lighter weight and can jump pretty high but I also have some heavy breeds so Im trying to find a best height for.

Any suggestions would be so grateful

 

[Smileybans]

My heavy breeds don‘t like their roosts to be higher than a foot off the coop floor. I have two roosts in my coop. One at a foot or so and the other at two feet. Then theres stairs by the roosts to help everyone to get up and down. The stairs are mostly for the large fowl since they still insist on sleeping on the higher roost. Make sure your roosts are higher than the nest boxes so they dont sleep on those.

 

[3KillerBs]

I put the roosts at my shoulder height for my convenience -- so that I can inspect birds without squatting or bending (I have arthritis).

But I made a ramp that services the nests and the roosts:

 

[21hens-incharge]

Mine are 2' off the ground.

I have had brahmas, Giant Cochins, black sex links, Australorp, and some light breeds like leghorn and hamburg. (Actually I have had many other breeds too)

At 2' no one had issues using them.

 

[DobieLover]

I also converted a shed into a coop and have a large variety of breeds.
All my roosts are the same height because I included a ramp up to the poop boards for the larger bodied birds to use. The lighter bodied birds just fly up.
Having all the roosts one height gives them one less thing to fight over at roost time.

I set the poop board at counter height (34") and the roosts ended up at 13" above the boards. That gives enough room to scoop under the roosts and enough height to make it difficult for a roosted bird to give a head shot to one that is jockeying for a roost position. It is also a convenient height for examination of roosted birds in the evening.

 

[WIchickMama]

I put the roosts at my shoulder height for my convenience -- so that I can inspect birds without squatting or bending (I have arthritis).

But I made a ramp that services the nests and the roosts:

View attachment 3004600

Same here, shoulder height and they have a ladder to use to get up or roost on

 

[saysfaa]

My roost is also shoulder high so it is still higher than the nests when the floor of the nests is between wrist and elbow high even when I stand on 12-15" of bedding. I also try to maximize floor space by making it inviting for them to use the spaces under all the platforms. They "fit" under a lower platform than they actually like to use much. If I had more floor space I think I would want a lower roost.

The chickens won't care how high the roost is as long as they can see that it IS higher and they can't see anything higher that might work.

 

[LadyAchee]

Mine is inspired by DobieLover. Here is a picture.

 

[jreardon1918]

I have read so many different things. What height should roosts be from the ground? I have a blank 10x10 shed I’m turning to a coop. We will have a poop board as well. I have some chicks that are lighter weight and can jump pretty high but I also have some heavy breeds so Im trying to find a best height for.

Any suggestions would be so grateful

Hi,
If you can post a couple pictures of the shed, both inside and out. I'll bet you will get lots of suggestions. We have a small 4x8. The roosts are about 24" high. We leave a wood log in the coop to aid the big girls to jump up and down. Here is a lousy picture, it barely shows the big girls on the roost, and some 10 week olds that were then roosting on the log. They eventually took their place on the roost.

 

[aart]

I put the roosts at a height easy for me to grab birds.
Here's some tips about heights:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/