Roost bar question?

[ORChickFam]

Can ya'lls help settle a dispute we're having?

Should a roost bar of a 2x4 be with the 4" or the 2" up being where the chicks sit?

I read somewhere that going 2x4 w/ the 4" being the best way as the chicken's feet aren't meant to grab something small like the 2x2 for long periods plus it helps keep their feet warm. Unfortunately I don't remember where I read this.

The hubs saw a picture of the Chicken Chick's roost bars and her's where w/ the 2".

So he's saying that it doesn't matter.

I'm saying he's wrong.

So what do ya'lls think?

 

[sourland]

Do you really think we're going to get in the middle of that? Some do it one way, and some do it the other.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I put the two up, but a lot of my chickens roost on 1x6 of their own choice, I had a rooster who got frostbite on his legs last year and had to be culled, I have never had any other problems, I do have the 4 up for my turkeys. Personally I would give them the choice and let them decide.

 

[ORChickFam]

Do you really think we're going to get in the middle of that? Some do it one way, and some do it the other.

I'm gonna take that as I'm right and he owes me a beer!

 

[shortgrass]

Lol how about you're BOTH right.... Mine like the 2" side when they're chicks...and I rotate the top 3 with the 4" side up for the grown up girls

Tada! Win/win

 

[ChickenMammX4]

We have the 4" side for the roost. Hubs used a 2" dowel for the perch in front of the nesting boxes and the hens wouldn't use it, he switched it out for a 1" x 4" (4" side up) and all was well. Guess they like the stability.

The original reason we put the 4" side up when building the roost was I read that in cold temps the chickens can tuck their feet under them while roosting. Made sense to me.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I only use 2x2 lumber for much of the construction (nailers) and for the roosting bars. It doesn't matter which way I turn it they get 1.5" actual width to perch on. Never had a problem and in reality it's closer to nature if they roosted in trees. Some worry about frost with the narrow perch but birds crouch when roosting so feet are completely covered by feathers anyway.

In a nutshell it doesn't matter one ioda unless you put cost of lumber and weight of coop into consideration. Which I do.

 

[Folly's place]

I use saplings or branches ranging from 2" to 4" diameter, and my birds also roost 8' up in the rafters, which are 4" round fence posts. Never have had frostbitten feet. I would guess that wet feet in an open water bowl in winter might be a contributing factor to frostbite also. Mary

 

[ladyearth]

I read the same thing prob on this forum and prob on" Fred Fine Fowl" and or P Allen Smith video... or other You Tubes....
I only did the 3 and 1/2 up .. that is approx. what a present day 2 by 4 is... Then I thought ...big feet looked uncomfortable ....then Had poor Hubby do a "2 by6""" up
. then I saw they were pooing on it more ,esp the hens being smaller than the several Roos I had... So back to 2 by 4 instead of the 2 by 6... Of course this is all in the crowded chicken tractor... (what a folly that FRED'S FINE Fowl chicken tractor is)..... It may be fine for two Banties.....
the aluminum topper COOP... we ,or should I say me, asked Hubby do try both 2 by 4 and 2 by 8 BUT never up...you know on the short edge...
Course Yall Old Timers ,,,, or more experienced KEEPERS ,when its comes to how long you have kept chickens, prob have tried all kind of things.... and have seen it all
Just a comment yall

 

[jimbob86]

I read the same thing prob on this forum and prob on" Fred Fine Fowl" and or P Allen Smith video... or other You Tubes....
I only did the 3 and 1/2 up .. that is approx. what a present day 2 by 4 is... Then I thought ...big feet looked uncomfortable ....then Had poor Hubby do a "2 by6""" up
. then I saw they were pooing on it more ,esp the hens being smaller than the several Roos I had... So back to 2 by 4 instead of the 2 by 6... Of course this is all in the crowded chicken tractor... (what a folly that FRED'S FINE Fowl chicken tractor is)..... It may be fine for two Banties.....
the aluminum topper COOP... we ,or should I say me, asked Hubby do try both 2 by 4 and 2 by 8 BUT never up...you know on the short edge...
Course Yall Old Timers ,,,, or more experienced KEEPERS ,when its comes to how long you have kept chickens, prob have tried all kind of things.... and have seen it all
Just a comment yall

That is a tiny tractor .......3'x7' footprint?