Poop board as a roost

[BackAcre]

Hello! My husband and I are in the process of building a new and improved hen house for the chicks. I think the idea of poop boards under the roost sounds great, but I can't get past thinking that the hens will be likely to just roost on the edge of the poop board as much as they will hop onto the roost up above. Is this something that happens and is there a way around It? I am open to tips and tricks!

 

[SueT]

I have poop boards just 2" below the roost, and some do roost on the edge of it, especially a little bantam hen. The poop still ends up on the poop board. It's wider at one end because I put a chick pen under it at one time.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Chickens like to roost as HIGH as they can get, they'll roost on the roost. They may walk around the poop board to check it out but never had an issue with mine, which was an after thought. Built the Chicken House before I read about the poop board w/PDZ. Poop ends up all in the poop board, easy scoop in the mornings.

 

[jthornton]

Yep, my roost is about 8" above the floor of the coop (roosting box). Sometimes in the morning one or two will be down on the floor right after dawn but the rest of the night they are on the roosts.

JT

 

[blackdog043]

Yes they might roost on the edge. I have some that do, but they face the front, so poop still goes on the board. I also have a couple that roost on the board itself, on the PDZ. Most of them use the roost bar though.

 

[BackAcre]

Thank you, that gives me hope that a dropping board is the way to go!

 

[aart]

Yes they might roost on the edge. I have some that do, but they face the front, so poop still goes on the board. I also have a couple that roost on the board itself, on the PDZ. Most of them use the roost bar though.

Same here, it's not really a problem.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

If you put the poop board on the bottom, very low to the floorboard.... the chickens natural instinct would be to hop up on the higher roosting perch up above. If you put it up high right near the roosting perch, they figure it's not that big of a difference and would rather just chill in their poop board. That's my take on it anyway. So, I would advise you to put the poop board lower if you can, or if you have more room up top, put the perches higher for them to roost.

 

[Cornbread49]

How much head room above the Roosting Board do they need and is the 2 x 4 flat on the 3-1/2" way or on edge the 1-1/2" edge?

 

[jthornton]

How much head room above the Roosting Board do they need and is the 2 x 4 flat on the 3-1/2" way or on edge the 1-1/2" edge?

Well there are two schools of thought on the width, I subscribe to the chickens roost in the trees when left to there ways school. Headroom depends on coop design. A draft free ventilated coop is best in colder areas.

JT