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

[Willow2253]

I voted branches, 2x4 flat side up, and other. What I actually have is a rack made of straight branches and a piece of tongue and groove wood that’s more like .5x4, wide side up. My chickens prefer the round branches most of the time, but they have been using the flat one more lately.

 

[ILChickenTV]

2x3 wide edge up

 

[PopoMyers]

2x4 wide side up in their coop/nest area, 2x2 in their outdoor runs for daytime roosting. On Kauai island, Hawaii, the wild chickens roost in the trees.

 

[BoogieWight]

Pvc pipe in most of the brooders since they are usually in trees by the time they actually begin to roost. I do use branches in some spots, but mainly in brooders I run on the ground when we have too many chicks together that we incubated. Large numbers of chicks without a hen tend to take way longer to roost in trees. This is because the ones that try to roost in trees earlier will come back down to the lazy ones that want back in the brooder at night.

 

[WallyG74]

I chose branches and other because my roosts aren’t really branches. I cut 4-5” diameter trees with semi rough bark. Oak and Sweetgum work well. It’s a natural fit and the trees are free. The chickens love it.

 

[Vickischics]

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.

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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!)

I have both coops with 2x4 roosts with the wide side up. I also lightly sanded all of the sharpened areas and edges a bit to smooth them off. I can run my hand over the wood and not get splitters.
This was not only the recommendation of the "Experts" on BYC but, studies have proven this to be the preferred roost for chickens.
Chickens do not roost on a dowel type bar like a regular bird such as a parrot, owl, blue jay, robin or a crow ect... The "sit" down on the 4" part which in turn covers their entire foot including their toe nails.
This method gives them solid stability while sleeping, prevents frost bite, and prevents future foot ailiments from occurring.
My girls aren't complaining!

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

My Silkies all roost at night, I have 2x4s wide side up and some narrow side up, they roost on both.
They love roosting during the day on fig tree branches

 

[rebeccaH86]

I use branches and 2x4 but non of my 8 gals like to roost they all want to just sleep right inside the coop door way ugh . Think thier broken lol

 

[PurpleCArTires]

I used branches in one coop. My other prefab coops have rounded 2x2. I also built them a "tree" with lots of roosting branches in their run. No frozen toes and they sometimes roost in the outdoor "tree" during summer.

 

[PurpleCArTires]

I use branches and 2x4 but non of my 8 gals like to roost they all want to just sleep right inside the coop door way ugh . Think thier broken lol

I have some rescue hens that never had a roost before and wont sleep on it now. They pile up ontop of eachother in one of the nest boxes . Even tho i boot them out every night, they still find their way back in the dark. Lol