Perches extend full length of coop?

[Brucepierce]

Hi Folks
I'm building my perch this weekend and was looking to see if anyone has any input on whether I should build the perch to reach the corners of the coop? Do chickens like a wall to lean on or can I cut them shorter and leave a gap on each end?

Thanks in advance...sorry for the double posting...I'm still trying to figure out the site..

 

[kellieetal]

"chicken jail" makes me think of my kids stomping off down the hall having been sent to their rooms for misbehavior. "That's it, Ms. Chicken! TIMEOUT for you until you learn not to peck at your sisters!"

 

[aart]

Question, how far from the wall is your roost? We are building a 12x12 coop and I am working on designing the inside now. Also, how deep is your "jail" we are also adding one on ours. It is a great idea.

@LeslyeH the post you quoted is 12 years old, the poster hasn't been around since 2019....so don't expect a reply.

Roosts are best at least 12" from the wall.

 

[HEChicken]

Hmm...interesting question. Just last week I rebuilt my roosts from a ladder style to a style where 4 roost boards are on the same level. My coop is 10' wide, most of the boards 8' long, so there is a gap on either side. However I had one board that was longer than the others and rather than cut it off to match, I decided to put it up as is. I used it as the board closest to the wall so that I could still walk up and down each end as needed. What I have found is that that board, where it sits in the corner, is the "prime" roosting place. Where the top roost used to be the most desirable place to roost, now that they are all on the same level. the roost that is deep in the corner is now the place where the highest status birds sleep.



This picture gives you some idea what I am talking about. You can see the 4 boards on the same level and although it cuts off, you can see that the board furthest from the camera continues to extend towards the wall. THAT is the corner the highest status birds prefer.....

 

[gardendufus]

My roost extends from wall to wall (about 7 feet). When I do a roost check after they bed down, I see the following: The six birds who are 'top' of the pecking order split up, 3 on one side, against the wall, and 3 on the other side, also against the wall. They jostle and fuss a lot as 'who gets the wall' is decided. The 4 birds on the low end of the pecking order end up with the middle of the roost........with separation on each side of them from the 6 top birds. So, my observation is that they like to lean up against the wall. So much so that until they got too large, one of them would roost on the 2 X 4 (2" side up) that created the 'T" that the roost was actually attached to. I hope you know what I mean, one 2 X 4 parallel and attached to the wall, supports the 2 X 4 (4" side up" roost which is perpendicular to the coop walls. Not much room for them to roost on that cross piece, but they preferred it to being away from the wall.

 

[JackE]

I built mine to wall to wall. Coop is 8' wide, so it was easy. Some of my birds like leaning against the wall, others want to be in the middle. Make the roosts easily removable, comes in handy at cleaning time.
Jack

 

[DeannaOR]

I tried to maximize use of space, so I did two 12' long..the length of our coop, with a poop board underneath and a chicken jail under that. I'm very happy with it. I use stall dry in the poop board and just scoop it with a kitty litter scoop. They use both the roost board and the rail for roosts.




The chicken jail has come in very handy for transitioning babies into the main flock.
I could also use it for a broody, or injured bird.

 

[DeannaOR]

"chicken jail" makes me think of my kids stomping off down the hall having been sent to their rooms for misbehavior. "That's it, Ms. Chicken! TIMEOUT for you until you learn not to peck at your sisters!"

That has happened =) One of my hens Vera was getting a little lofty and being mean to some of the youngsters. I put her in chicken jail for a day and when she came back out she actually quit. She still has her moments.

 

[scooter147]

Seems to me I've heard of something that will cause them to have permanently 'clipped' wings... somewhere way back in the dusty corners of my swiss-cheese memory.....

It's called "pinioning". When the chick is a day or two old they actually cut the portion of the wing off that produces the flight feathers. Not all that common. Some hatcheries offer the "service".
Many states require hatcheries to pinion such birds as swans, mallards, wild turkeys before they can be shipped.

As far as chickens wanting to roost in the corner or up against a wall I have a theory on that. My hens all want that prime spot too. I think it is a deep rooted instinctual desire. Almost all wild turkeys will roost up nest to the trunk of the tree. I guess it helps to protect one side from ambush.

 

[Going Quackers]

Mine extends the entire width of the coop, i only have the one a 2x4(or 6? always forget lol) I only have 4.. they seem to like to start at the end and then smoosh along beside one another for night time roosting.

Mine does not come off either, i clean the coop and roost daily, take me under 5mins to do so.