Roost bar question - anyone have theirs placed very high up?

[Chicabee19]

I haven't read a thread about this question, so thought I'd ask.

I was thinking about the predator problem. I live right in town, but we've seen raccoons and skunks around, and I know there are mice.

I know about chickens only what I've studied in the past 5 days, so advice is welcome!

I'm thinking of creating a roost bar on supports hanging down from the ceiling so that nothing else touches it -- no connections to the walls or wood pieces underneath for something to climb across or up.

I'm also thinking "the higher the better" to be away from any creatures on the ground.

Does anyone have a roost bar that is 5 or more feet off the ground?

And... do the chickens have a problem getting up there?

 

[chicken_angler]

Dont do that.
I made the mistake and put the roost 4 feet off the ground and the nest boxes on the ground. The hens laid their eggs from on the roosts and they cracked. I moved the roosts to 28 inches off the floor and the nest boxes 28 inches off the floor! Now they lay in the box.

 

[BayCityBabe]

I spent this afternoon coop cleaning, rearranging everything & removing a high shelf that "became" a roost. I ended up with poo all over - not able to manage my coop hygene. After I read about the danger of "bumblefoot" to birds that roost high, I knew I had to fix this.
If you are worried about predators, put your efforts into having a secure coop at night.

 

[Chicabee19]

Thank you for the replies.

Why would a high roost cause 'bumble-foot"?

I've seen a lot of pictures of coops on the forum, and it looks like some of the roosts are pretty high up. Maybe photo perspective is a bit off due to lack of context?

So, perhaps waist-high nests with a little door on the outside that I can open to grab eggs? Roosts maybe chest high and on the other side of the coop so poops won't drop in the nests?

 

[Bi0sC0mp]

most of my chickens wont roost on a low roost they refuse i got one roost around 6 feet hight and thats where 5 of my chickens roost at night.. so

 

[CarlaRiggs]

A high roost is fine if the chickens can access it safely. Bumblefoot can develop when the heavier chickens jump down and hit a hard floor. The pad of the foot may become infected. If there is a lower roost upon which to jump to the higher board, then that will help protect feet.
As far as a roosting board hanging, the chickens really need something that's stabilized. If it were hanging from chains, then there is too much movement; the hens will have a hard time with that.

I would suggest predator proofing your coop as well as possible. I have 1/2" 19 gauge hardware cloth covering the windows; for the top ventilation areas under the roof eaves, I have stucco wire (chicken wire) 1" hexagons 18 gauge. Both of the wires are tough. (The smaller the gauge number, the heavier the wire.) The roost is far enough below the ventilation areas that no predator can reach through the 1" holes and grab a sleeping hen.

I also have wire buried 6" below the coop that comes back up to the sides and is secured onto the wood. I saw raccoon prints out by the coop two nights ago. The prints went back and forth, but not one could get into the coop.

Carla

 

[Chicabee19]

thanks for the responses....

I wasn't thinking to hang it from chains, but attaching it to pieces of wood sticking down rather than sticking up from the floor.

I've noticed some coops have a little ladder type thing ... maybe something like that, which can be removed at night?

peace

 

[ams3651]

i placed my roost about 3 feet high, mine arent laying yet so I havent put in nest boxes yet. They prefer to roost on the unfinished wall which is about 5'. I have seen them use the roost during the day from time to time but I think they like it as high as they can get it but I dont think they like wobbly, it would need to be steady.