Roost placement

[K0k0shka]

I'm posting this here because it's getting buried in my build thread, and I would really like some input from the more experienced folks...

I'm building my first coop (5'x7') and am trying to figure out where and how to position the roost. I've tried several configurations and this is my latest. I'm aiming for 3-4 chickens (Orpingtons). The roost is a very thick tree branch that spans the whole length of the coop, at about 4' high. The human door is where I'm standing to take the pictures. The pop door is on the long wall opposite the roost, down on the far side (right side in the photos). I want to keep the pop door open permanently so they can go in and out as they wish, and I'll have a secure run. Also, the run will be covered on top (except for an area farther from the coop). Additionally, I'll cover the 3 run walls closest to the coop with plastic in the winter, greenhouse-style. So the pop door will be protected somewhat, and fully in the winter.

With all that in mind. Can you guys let me know what you think about this setup? The roost is way above the pop door, so drafts shouldn't be blowing directly on the chickens (I hope). But it is directly across from it... I placed the higher end of the branch away from the pop door, to encourage them to settle there, farther from the open pop door. The second branch should serve as a ramp up/down. Would that be enough? Angle, distance... hopping/climbing up and down... There's about a foot between the top roost and the wall, and it's at about the same height as the horizontal 2x4 supports, so they can step on those as well while maneuvering up there.

Please let me know what you think! Thanks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Where are your high vents? Is there a direct path from that pop door to an open vent that passes over the roosts? If that roost is in a dead air space you should be OK. You can put a baffle outside the pop door. Build a louver with slanted boards that would direct any wind away from your pop door before it enters the coop. Your wrapping may be enough anyway.

I'm guessing your roost is 7' long? Trying to get an idea of how wide an area we are looking at.

Another alternative would be to put your roosts over your nests and use the top of the nests as a droppings board. Extend the droppings board all the way to the end of the coop, maybe need to widen it a bit to 2'. That gives you a baffle between the pop door and the roost. It also opens up a bigger landing area when they are jumping down from the roost. Or stop the roosts at the end of the nests.

Where are you getting your Orps? My hatchery quality Orps have no problems flying up and down from my 5' high roosts. If you are getting show-quality birds and feeding them a diet so they are really big there may be some issues with them hurting their legs when they jump down, but "smaller" Orps like hatchery birds should not have any issues with that. I would not put that ramp in there, I think it just cluttters up the coop for no real benefit.

It looks like the top of the nests are about 2' high. You can lower your roosts to 3' high to give them easier access. That should be plenty high enough. If they want to they can hop up to the droppings board and them hop up to the roost whether the roost is across from r over the nests.

 

[K0k0shka]

Thank you @Ridgerunner for the quick response! I was kinda hoping you'd reply, you seem very knowledgeable

I forgot to mention the vents! The two long walls have 6"-tall vents spanning the whole 7-foot length of the wall, at the very top of the walls just under the roof (that's the rake sides of the lean-to roof and they have fly rafters with 6" overhangs). The short wall with the human door (at the taller end of the lean-to slant) also has the same height vent up at the top, and the other short wall, at the short end, only has the spaces between the rafters open (all with HC of course). So, ventilation is all up high. Right now the height of the coop on the inside slopes from 8' to 7', leaving plenty of room for a thick layer of pine shavings on the floor. Would I have draft issues with the vents that high up, between them and the pop door?

The roost is 7' long, yes. I like the idea of lowering it down to a 3'-height. I put it at 4' mostly because that's where the supports are on the short walls and it was easy to place it there, and to give the chickens more height... I know they like height... But if 3' is as high as they've got I guess they'd be okay with that. If I do that and remove the ramp branch, do you think it would be enough for them to get up and down either flying/hopping or using the top of the nesting box for help? Would they be okay draft-wise, or would I still need to put something above the pop door, either on the outside or on the inside? I'm hoping that if the branch goes all the way to the other end of the wall, they'd move over to that end if it's drafty in front of the pop door... but I don't know if they're smart enough to do that

I also like the idea of moving the roost to the window side. I'll need to cut it short though, and put a vertical support somewhere near where the nesting box ends on the nearer side of it, because otherwise it would interfere with the doorway. The human door opens out, but it's all the way on the right side of that wall, right up against the window side wall. I want to be able to walk in without immediately running into the roost.

I'll be getting my Orpingtons from papaspoultry.com. I want to get hatching eggs and hatch them at home. He breeds different colors just for fun, I don't think they're serious show quality or anything.

 

[Alaskan]

I like @Ridgerunner 's suggestions.

But then I really like poop shelves, and stacking coop things, since that gives you so much floor space.

I don't think they will need a ramp,but I would put a nice sturdy log, about 1.5 feet tall, in the middle of the coopfor them to use as a boost.

As to length... with only 4 girls, I would be happy with extending the top of the nest boxes into a poop shelf, and completely over the pop door... and then having the poop shelf/perches stop way short of where you enter the coop.

Even just 4 feet of perch is plenty for 4 fat girls.

 

[K0k0shka]

Thanks @Alaskan for the input! I do have to mention, also, that I don't want a poop board. I had a chat with the user CompostKing and I really like his setup. I think he calls it a "manure pile". To let the poop build up but keep mixing it in with the shavings and adding more shavings so it's always dry. Then shoveling it out once in a while when it builds up too much. I have a floor-level "poop flap" opening on the wall with the human door, and it opens out over my compost pile. So I can just push things out with a push broom every once in a while. I'd much rather do that than have to scoop/scrape poop off of shelves every day. I know it doesn't take more than a couple of minutes, but... I just don't want to do it I'm kind of old school. I grew up with farm animals and nobody scooped poop daily back in the day. I can't get used to the idea even with pet chickens. Scooping the cat litter is enough for me, haha. With just 4 chickens, it shouldn't be too bad... I want to try the dry-out floor poop for a while and see how that goes.

So if I don't extend the nesting box top over the pop door to create a poop board, do you think the pop door would cause problems with drafts? And would it be better to put the roost along the left wall or the right wall?

 

[Alaskan]

Hummm

Yes, I think if the pop door is directly under the perch, it is more likely to cause issues. .... but maybe not... you really need to stand in the coop during a blustery day, and just note where the wind goes.

Is Compostking in a cold climate?

My shavings will at times turn to concrete, just if ambient humidity is high, or too much poop. That is why I switched to poop shelves. I line them with feed sacks and can pop off the poo even if I clean them only once every couple of weeks.

But then again... with only 4 hens, anything you do might be just fine.

That is the brilliance with having a small flock.

Your birds will be sitting on that nice nestbox top.... no matter where you put the roost.

 

[K0k0shka]

Is Compostking in a cold climate?

He's in NC, so not as cold... hmmm... if I can occasionally throw shavings on top of the frozen pile, and shovel it out when it thaws, that might be enough? Like with so many things, I may need to just try it and see how it goes.

Your birds will be sitting on that nice nestbox top.... no matter where you put the roost.

Oh yeah, I've accepted that as inevitable. I actually made the top flat on purpose, to give them a nice lookout post so they could look out the window I wasn't thinking about putting the roost on that wall, because I didn't want it in front of the human door...

I'm leaning towards leaving the roost where it is but bringing it down to 3' high, and putting a stump in front of it, so they can get up and down by using the stump and/or nest box for help. And I'm thinking of also building a small wind barrier for the pop door on the inside - a horizontal board just above it and a vertical one just in front, both attached to the wall, to form a fully enclosed box with only the wall facing the human door open, with enough room for them to enter and make a left turn to go into the coop. That should redirect any wind away from the roost. If I leave the top board flat, that would be another surface for them to use to jump off from to get to/from the roost (and yeah, another surface to be pooped on... maybe I'll make it slanted).

 

[K0k0shka]

Even just 4 feet of perch is plenty for 4 fat girls.

Ooh I could cut the roost down and put it where it is now, but at 3’ height and all the way to the human door wall, so it ends way short of the other wall. That way I can make sure nobody is roosting directly in front of the pop door.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I like 2X4 for roosts they can place their feet flat and cover them to keep them warm.

 

[K0k0shka]

I like 2X4 for roosts they can place their feet flat and cover them to keep them warm.

A thick branch achieves the same result. And looks nicer