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..

 

[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.....

 

[canesisters]

Gonna be following this. I have 1 roost that sits in the middle of the wall, I don't like it (leaves just a little unusable corner on each end) and the birds seem to be more agitated at bedtime than back when they were little and had a low roost in a corner... Hummmm, maybe I made a mistake when I raised it by moving it out of the corner and to the middle...


(edited for spelling)

 

[Brucepierce]

Seems like they like the corners...the problem for me is I made my poop board 6ft long...my coop is 8 ft so ill have 2 exposed feet one in each corner...but I don't want them agitated or uncomfortable so I'll build them into the corners and clean up the poop I guess, this is how it goes when you build without a plan..I just love jumping in and doing stuff...

 

[featherfooted]

The coop I had at our last house was 8'x20' (boy, do I miss it) and I had the roosts go full length of the short side. It was under a window and the girls seemed to really enjoy it in the summertime. I had 3 2x4s across the 8' side in a stair step this way even the Silkies could get on the roosts.

 

[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

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

We built ours the width of the coop. They seem to like it so far. We have 8 marans and 3 game hens.

 

[kellieetal]

If they all like corners, then couldn't you divide the length of the roost up with a divider board about every two feet? I don't know off hand how to design that so it's sturdy enough not to be knocked over by a snoozing, squeezing bird, but easily removable enough that it would not be a problem to disassemble quickly for cleaning. hmmm...

 

[kellieetal]

As a related question, if I'm choosing heavy-bodied birds like buff bramas, do I need to keep their roost a little lower than for a lighter bird--thinking it might be a little harder for the more "full-figured girls" go hop on up to the higher roosts. Would about a foot off the floor of their poop board be too high for such heavy birds? (or too high, or way too low?)