New coop considerations

[2 Acres]

I'll include a link to an interesting (to me) thread on this forum about roost shapes and sizes. Notice that the linked thread is about chicken preferences, not human preferences.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-perch-experiment.74272/

I personally do not have a preference and I don't think the chickens do either. Chickens evolved to sleep in trees so you think since tree limbs are round they want round roosts. No necessarily. Some tree limbs are so big they are essentially flat to a roosting chicken. I've seen chickens sleeping in trees and in various strange places in my coops. I did some experimenting with roosts myself but nothing nearly as good as the guy in the link.

From what I've seen I think chickens can handle a tree limb, a 2x4 on edge, a 2x4 flat, or a wide flat shelf or roof. If you have a personal preference then by all means use it. Your chickens will be able to handle it.

One thing I've noticed. When a chicken squats down on the roost, which they do when it is cold, their feet are covered by feathers whether they are on a shelf, on a tree limb, or on the edge or flat of a 2x4. If your temperatures get to -30 F (-20 C) I think that changes some, but most of us do not see temperatures that cold.

The last 2 winters where I live were negative 30 and negative 50. Supplemental heat will be required at that point.

 

[Doodlemom63]

Putting up the coop in a week or two, just wanted some general guidelines. Looking at 8 nesting boxes and roost space for 16 medium sized birds, brown leghorns. Nesting boxes will have outside egg removal and cleaning access. Planning tentatively on the nesting boxes being 12" wide x 16" high by 16" deep, 10" partitions between boxes to allow ventilation. Will that work? Is it near optimum? Thinking 1" dia oak dowel for roost, 16 linear feet for 16 birds max, gradually reducing to max 10 birds. They will have a large pen for roaming and scratching, not confined to coop. Does that sound about right? I realize that is more boxes than I need, but I would rather have too many than too few.

Also, what is the consensus on having a roost bar directly in front of the nesting boxes? Sort of a landing zone, for making a graceful entry into the nest? It should be slightly lower than the bottom of the nest box, right? Just going by what I have seen in the past. Also what is a good height for the roost bars? I know it's not critical and I can always shift them higher or lower, just trying to get it in the ballpark on the first go.

Chicks won't arrive for a couple weeks, so I got a couple months to decide on the details. In South Louisiana.

I would recommend flat surface for roosting.