Proper design of Roost Bars

[cavemanrich]

I measured some things today. My roost diameter is 3" for the top roost - the one they sleep on - and 2.5" for the intermediate roost, the one they use to jump to and from to get up to the top roost. And the distance between the floor and the nesting box openings is 1 foot from the floor itself, and 8" from the top of the pine shavings. Because the nesting box has round openings which are several inches higher than the floor of the box inside, it's hard for the hay that's inside to be kicked out, or for shavings from the coop floor to be kicked in. Here's what my nesting box setup looks like:
View attachment 2413020

Your coop looks DYNAMITE BEAUTIFUL,,,

 

[K0k0shka]

Your coop looks DYNAMITE BEAUTIFUL,,,

Thank you!

 

[Rodrad]

I measured some things today. My roost diameter is 3" for the top roost - the one they sleep on - and 2.5" for the intermediate roost, the one they use to jump to and from to get up to the top roost. And the distance between the floor and the nesting box openings is 1 foot from the floor itself, and 8" from the top of the pine shavings. Because the nesting box has round openings which are several inches higher than the floor of the box inside, it's hard for the hay that's inside to be kicked out, or for shavings from the coop floor to be kicked in. Here's what my nesting box setup looks like:
View attachment 2413020

Wow! How nice, how artistic✌. How skillful woodworker must be your husband. Just kidding, I know you built the whole thing, just amazing skills.
This nesting box looks look like an abstract face of a chicken, big eyes, nose and legs! It would win the contest for the best looking and practical nesting box.

thanks about the roost diameters and location information.

 

[Rodrad]

Since you don’t have a poop board, how do you manage deep litter method (since what I hear chicken poop about 70% when they are on the roost)?
Related to that, when you start your bedding, how thick it is? How often do you add bedding (I assume it is medium size pine shavings)? And how typically high it is after 6 months before you replace it?

I am bombarding you with questions, take your time to answer it.

 

[cmom]

Different strokes for different folks. I have tried other roosts such as branches but the birds seem to prefer the 2x4's. I do have some 2x3's for roosts.

 

[cmom]

Since you don’t have a poop board, how do you manage deep litter method (since what I hear chicken poop about 70% when they are on the roost)?
Related to that, when you start your bedding, how thick it is? How often do you add bedding (I assume it is medium size pine shavings)? And how typically high it is after 6 months before you replace it?

I am bombarding you with questions, take your time to answer it.

Poop boards are good for smaller backyard flocks. I have poop pits under my roosts that I can clean out from outside of the coops but I have a lot of birds so I get a lot of poop.

 

[Rodrad]

Different strokes for different folks. I have tried other roosts such as branches but the birds seem to prefer the 2x4's. I do have some 2x3's for roosts.

That’s true. But there are some studies to suggest that too wide roosts (2x4 side side up) is not the optimal size.

https://www.yourchickens.co.uk/care-and-advice/the-perfect-perch-1-2842822

 

[K0k0shka]

Since you don’t have a poop board, how do you manage deep litter method (since what I hear chicken poop about 70% when they are on the roost)?
Related to that, when you start your bedding, how thick it is? How often do you add bedding (I assume it is medium size pine shavings)? And how typically high it is after 6 months before you replace it?

I am bombarding you with questions, take your time to answer it.

When I put the clean bedding in, it's about half a foot deep, but that's because it's new and very fluffy. As it gets stomped and compressed, it flattens down to about 4 inches or so. I put fresh bedding down in early May, and cleaned it out in late October. In the 5 months between, I had 11 chickens for about half the time, and 5 chickens for the other half (after I culled the males). Even with that many chickens, it never got really bad or poopy-looking even without poop boards. The poop gets mixed in with the shavings, dries out and doesn't smell. I stir it occasionally. At the beginning, when everything is fresh, there's no need, so I leave it for the first month and it's fine. After that I stir it around a bit maybe once a week. I have a child leaf rake in there, does a great job (the handle is short so it doesn't bang around the walls as I turn around, and the rake end is narrow so it doesn't get caught on things). After 5 months of no poop boards, it still didn't smell or look too bad, and I didn't add any new pine shavings in-between. I emptied everything out in October and put clean shavings in. It's been about a month and I've stirred it once, it looks fine (but only 5 butts pooping now).

 

[KilbournFarmhouse]

I chose what I thought would be a good substitute: A 2.25 inch wide stair rail which has a gradually curved top that I roughed the top of with really coarse sandpaper.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Creative-S...x-8-ft-Stain-Grade-Un-Plowed-Handrail/3727399

This is a great idea!

 

[K0k0shka]

That’s true. But there are some studies to suggest that too wide roosts (2x4 side side up) is not the optimal size.

https://www.yourchickens.co.uk/care-and-advice/the-perfect-perch-1-2842822

You can probably find a study to support each opinion. Aside from extremes (1" is too narrow, no sharp edges or slippery surface etc.) the rest is probably just a matter of preference.