Official BYC Poll: What Kind of Roost(s) Do You Have Installed?

[BYC Project Manager]

Lots of humans overlook the importance of roosts (aka perches), but chickens don't. The natural way for a chicken to sleep is by sitting on a roost. Nope, they don't like beds or the ground. Only hens with chicks, injured chickens, and sometimes silkies (if they can't reach the roost) will sleep on the ground. In the wild, a flock of chickens tries to get as high off the ground as they can at night, most often in the branches of a tree. They do this to help them stay safe from land predators. Moral: please provide your chickens roosts to sleep on!

What kind of roost(s) do you have installed?

Multiple answers are possible and please tell us if you did anything to prevent foot or mite problems /show us your roost with a picture down in the comments section.

Here are some interesting reads:

• The perch experiment
• Perch for roost, shape/size experimental findings

If you are wondering what roost shapes other keepers of chickens use, check out this thread:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...osts-do-you-use-in-your-chicken-coop.1403365/

(Check out more Official BYC Polls HERE!)

 

[deidreg]

My Omlet Eglu comes with a roost area with a plastic roost bars that lift out in one piece. Below is a tray to catch droppings, which acts like a cat litter box. Super easy to clean every day and hens like it.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I installed 2x4” boards, wide side up. This allows the chickens to sit completely on their feet in the winter months to prevent any cold feet.

 

[BDutch]

I have construction wood roosts with rounded corners. And several branches in the run where they do not sleep. Underneath are poop trays.

The construction wood is about 2.2 x 3.3 cm ( 1 x 1.5”) because 2 of these came with the prefab coop when I bought it. I made 2 of about the same size when I made an extension to the coop.

The size is good for my tiny Dutch chickens. But it would be too small for large bantams or normal sized chickens.
This is what other chicken keepers told me was okay. :

 

[3KillerBs]

I use natural "branches" (actually trunks), of variable diameter between 3-5 inches because scrub oak and young pines are a weed on this property that have to be cut anyway while 2x4s would cost money.

 

[aart]

2x4 wide side up, 2x2 edging on poop board, and right on the poop board.....
....my birds use them all.
It's not rocket surgery.

 

[spartacus_63]

I use 2x4s, wide side up with bevels on each side.

 

[Appalachickens]

I have construction wood roosts with rounded corners. And several branches in the run where they do not sleep. Underneath are poop trays.

The construction wood is about 2.2 x 3.3 cm ( 1 x 1.5”) because 2 of these came with the prefab coop when I bought it. I made 2 of about the same size when I made an extension to the coop.

The size is good for my tiny Dutch chickens. But it would be too small for large bantams or normal sized chickens.
This is what other chicken keepers told me was okay. :
View attachment 2545760

I love that drawing. It makes it look like the chicken is wearing gloves and frilly sleeves, ready for a 1950's dinner party.

 

[Sally PB]

It's not rocket surgery.

The first thing I read on roosts when hubby was building the coop was 2x4, narrow side up, sand down the corners. So that's what we did. I have seen my chickens settle down on it, and couldn't see their toes, so I know they're covered. Had some pretty cold mornings, including -8, and no problems with frostbitten feet.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I’m not sure what my roosts are technically made out of. The only one of the corners is smooth. It’s some kind of construction wood.