Roost design help please! (Update) Roost done!

[ChookHappy]

We have our ladies in a rabbit hutch right now and it's way too small for them. We got them when they were 11 weeks old and they were small and it was, to my likes too crowded so I've been really wanting to get them out of there. I had been checking out that poop board thread a few days ago and that seems really cool. I had some pretty bad ideas for my roost before getting the coop to the stage that it's at now so I thought that was out of the question but it really does interest me. Is 4ft. high too short too add one? The big "hume" door will swing down to use gravity to our advantage. All the windows and doors will be like this. Ugh.. I can't wait until it's done! I never built a thing in my life before and I had no idea how long this would take. Good thing I had kids first to prepare me with the patience to understand that it just works that way.

Pics? lol don't egg me on!







I should have some completion photos real soon. Mother nature is going to postpone that feat about another week but eventually it really will be done. Still no roof has been finalized for it. No matter how we look at it, it's going to cost us like a hundred dollars to roof it.

EDIT: btw which site had the nipples etc.? I might just have to make something like so many others before me made with the pvc and all.

 

[chickeydee]

www.Farm-Tek.com has the nipples . Also I do not know if you are a big fan on recycle ,but check with the local home depot or lowes they have what they call throw backs and sell cheap .Like open shingles ,plywood that is broke but still useable, torn boxes of nail boxes.bags of sand that have been ripped etc.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
Depends on the bird, and your climate.

If it gets cold there, they need to be able to sit on their feet and using the wide side up is what's always recommended.

I personally found that my Leghorns have smaller feet and they seem to PREFER to roost on the narrower side. I'm not too worried about the Arkansas winters, so they have a 2x4 narrow side up - and they still seem like they sit on their feet enough to keep them warm. I once had my Redstar spend the night roosting on the top of the welded wire fence with nothing but wire to hang on to! THAT seemed uncomfortable, but that's what she chose to do

a 2x4 is way wider than that, even on the skinny end!

 

[ChookHappy]

lol yea chooks are funny like that. I find my buff, when not trying to escape, she will be found on a tiny branch that is almost totally vertical on one of the outside roost branches. I'll try to get a photo of it tomorrow. I need to clip their wings asap but have never done it. Kind scares the chicken poop out of me. I'm hoping they adapt well to their new surroundings. They haven't had a roost at night yet at all since we have had them.

I'm going to try to cut out the corner of the 2x4's with a jigsaw and hope that I pull that off. It might be a decent middle ground. I want to be able to take the roost itself out as well to clean it.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
That sounds dangerous. Seems like a waste of time too. IF you put the 2x4's wide side up their feet will be on them, not curled around them, so what's the point?
Leghorn: toes not even curling over the edges.

They don't seem phased by the narrow side either: (although you can't say the same about the camera's flash)

oh edit: My roost is removable because I installed the 2x4 in framing brackets, but didn't nail it in PIC here they are about 75 cents each at any building/home improvement type store.

 

[ChookHappy]

Yea I bought a bunch of those brackets before this project but haven't used any yet. That was kinda what I wanted to do with two 2x4's on an angled piece 5' wide. Although danger is my middle name, thanks for saving me fingers, time and a potential emergency room visit. I would probably make a hack job of it anyways. End up havin a hand lookin just like my DWs' pops'.

This whole coop has been built with a borrowed jigsaw, drill and my circular saw my DW bought me 5 years ago. This is the second time I used it lol. Beautiful chickens ya got there! btw how wide should a poop board be?

 

[rickc24]

Quote:
hello can u take those next boxes and install them outside thats what i did my coop is 4x5x5 and its looks bigger try that it shouldnt be that hard to take the boxes and install them outside..

 

[ChookHappy]

Unfortunatly it is trimmed out, painted, and just about ready to be pooped in already. The pics are from earlier stages of completion. The reason I went without the outside nest boxes was due to leaks, drafts, a lack of carpentry skills, and after reading what everyone on this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=140561 had mentioned, I decided to go without it. I built essentially this nesting box:

My DW is well aware that this is just my first attempt and that the next one I'm building will be 19x9 so I'm just going to grin and bear it with this mini coop. xD

 

[MtnAngel]

We used trees that were down on the property.... The chickens love them!

 

[ChookHappy]

Those look great! I have been using a big eucalyptus branch in the run for the chooks but they seem to prefer the jenky 2x4 box-roost thing that I made for them. I'll tell you what, these are not cats! Anything that I would make or buy for any cat I've ever had would never like it. Although the cap to a milk jug, or a empty toilet paper roll.... Odd beings. Anyways I digress. I love the levels of roost space you have there. The natural look is sooo very nice. I might have to build a little shelf like what you've got there. I have a feeling I will really want a poop board sort of deal. With all the bloody rain we are having right now it gives me time to finally come up with a roof and a roost. Poor chooks still can't live in their new spacious, currently tarped up home...