Roost height in a portable pen

[RBOutdoors]

I just built my first portable for my first set of chickens and have a question about roost height. The pen is 24" tall so I know it can't be too high but how high is too high and and how low is too low? This is currently for laying hens that are about two months old. I am not sure what I am going to do when they start laying??

 

[underground chickenman]

Assuming standard or large breeds, and given that your ceiling height is only 24 inches, I'd say you have about 4 to 6 inches to work with without causing your girls to bump their heads.

 

[RBOutdoors]

Sorry should have told you guys what breeds. There are 10 birds RIR, Buff Orps, New Hamp reds, and barred rocks.

Are roosts all that important at this stage?

 

[rancher hicks]

24" is going to be too low. I have a CM roo who is nearly that tall. At that height they will barely have enough room to walk around. Chickens need room to stretch and jump around. Unless you have bantams and then it should be 36" high.

 

[cmom]

I have roosts for my chicks.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Im not sure if this counts, but my tractor has the coophouse elevated about 18" off the ground, and the the roosts are about 5" off the floor inside the 2'-tall house.

Does that make sense?

I count the 18" the chickens climb to get into the house to sleep on the roosts that are 5" off the floor for a total roost height of 23".
And I use a crude ladder instead of a ramp, maybe I think im fooling them into thinking they are hopping up branches kinda, I dont know . . .

It works for me anyways . . .