Roost and Nest Box Heights

[jolly wattles]

We have a 8x8x8 converted shed. They just jump back down the the 4' roost then the floor. After a couple faceplants they wised up.

 

[dvan]

My thought was with the boxes built outside with a hinged door to access they would have more room to spread their wings and get places. I just really like the idea of being able to access boxes without going in the coop. I my just stick with it and see how it goes. If it doesn't work out I'll close up the wall and lower boxes. This is my first flock so learning on the "fly". Do they tend to by pass the boxes to get to the roost to sleep?

 

[dvan]

That extra 4' seems like it would be a huge difference. I'm just going to try it. Our first chickens are still in the broody, couple more weeks yet before they get full feathered and temps get above freezing at night

 

[debid]

Your coop is 4x8 Debid?  My issue is, I already have the structure up and hole cut for external nesting boxes with hinged access door set at 3' to perch.  Would it be better if I just closed up the hole and moved the boxes inside?  I'm assuming that with all the room to free range, the coop will be used for sleeping and laying, so I may not need a ton of room in the coop.  Any thoughts?

You could use internal, open-top boxes and your hole becomes an access door. Then you locate the boxes on the wall below the hole. That's what mine are, it's just shelf with open top bins. OR, proceed with the external boxes at 3' and just go widthwise on your roosts so they'll have more room to get down. My problem started because they used the nests as a hop point to the lengthwise roost. Some would end up staying perched on nest boxes after being bullied off the roost by higher-ranking hens. I changed it so there were two, shorter roosts and that helped for a time. But, I finally just found a way to change to widthwise roosts so there are more, shorter roosts. It's taken a couple weeks for them to relocate to the ample space now available just because they hate change but it's a much more peaceful arrangement.

 

[dvan]

Ok. I may go with the width wise roosts. Do you think I need to have the roosts higher than the 3' nest boxes? Or would a roost at 2' and another at 3' tall work? I don't want them roosting in the nesting boxes and not using the roost poles. Thanks for the info!

 

[debid]

Ok.  I may go with the width wise roosts.  Do you think I need to have the roosts higher than the 3' nest boxes?  Or would a roost at 2' and another at 3' tall work? I don't want them roosting in the nesting boxes and not using the roost poles.  Thanks for the info!

You definitely want to put your roosts higher than the boxes. You can put a lower one to give them a hop up and that's super helpful for the bigger or older hens. Just don't expect them to sleep on it. I'd do two same-height roosts, at least, even if you only have a few hens.

 

[dvan]

Right on, thanks. Do you think it matters if the roosts are on the same wall as the pop door?

 

[dvan]

Or near the pop door I mean

 

[Ridgerunner]

Only if the roosts will be in the way of opening or closing the pop door, assuming it’s closed in the winter when they are sleeping so no breezes blow on them directly. In summer a breeze would feel good but it’s probably still closed at night. If you open and close the pop door from outside it’s good use of wall space.

 

[debid]

The pop door will be well below the roost, I presume? No biggie. My hop-up is barely above the pop door height but they don't sleep on it so not a problem.

FWIW, I rigged up a couple pulleys so the pop door opens and closes using a rope from outside the run. I'd rather have it on a timer with an automatic door but this was what I could do at the time. And it stays open most of the year.