Perch dimensions required please....height, space between perches etc...max height etc

[Diesel Dog]

Good Day

Could someone please tell me how to build a perch for laying hens...in specific..dimensions, space between perches and height, length etc.

Thank you in advance for your time...

Dale

 

[Folly's place]

I use saplings, 3" to 4" diameter, bark on. You can use 2"x4" lumber, wide side up, or split rails, or rough sawn boards. What do you have? Just make sure that the length is short enough, or supported in the middle, so no sagging happens. Height? Mine are about four feed of the floor, with an additional pole two feet off the floor in front of the nest boxes. Roosts should be higher than the nest boxes. Some of my birds then fly up to the rafters, eight feet up! It will depend on your breeds; really big birds like Jersey Giants can't make it up that high. Mine roosts are about ten inches apart, too. Mary

 

[RJSorensen]

I use 2" by 4" lumber, flat side down. If they are all the same height, the spacing for me is 12" to 15" center to center. If you are building one of those roosts that start at the floor and have a rung every so often climbing on an angle, you will need about 15' or better to keep the top birds from soiling the lower ones.

It is not so much the height of the roost that matters, as much as the getting down. Many birds jump or pretend to fly down and end up with damage in their feet. I think bumble foot is what it is called. Birds will instinctually roost as high as they can get… but letting them do so has the above noted dark side. And the higher they are, the wider the coop needs to be for them to 'flap' down. As noted above roosts need be higher than nesting boxes.

If you choose branches, I would remove the bark. It is in such places that the mites choose to live and feed on the birds at night. No place to hide/live equals fewer places for the little creatures of the night to do harm to your chickens. No sense in housing them right with the birds,

Best to you in your quest,

RJ