Roost Question

[Harley Chick]

Need suggestions or recommendations on the modification of our current roost bar. Currently it is at an angle and holds easily 5 hens. Chicken math has hit and we now have 3 chicks in process LOL. I've attached pics of my current set up and wondered how to change it (if needed) for the extra girls. I THINK the coop is a 4x6 ft .....hubby would know better. I'd like to run it width wise but my concern is the nesting boxes. I don't want to block them in any way but I also don't want the roosting bar too high? With it being 4 ft deep can I add a second bar to jump up on? This may encroach on one of the next boxes? With 8 chickens total is two boxes enough for them to lay? UGH.....

 

[feathermaid]

My coop is 6'x3' so a bit smaller than yours. I had the same problem with fully opening doors and nothing to attach the roosts to. Maybe you could build a new configuration with (2) 4' roosts and a larger poop board underneath similar to mine. But you may have to add a center support to make it work.

Not sure about adding the roost(s) to go the full 6' length of the coop. Without being there, I don't see how you could make poop board underneath and still leave enough space for them to jump up and down... maybe it would work.

It looks like you have 3 nest boxes, I see 2 dividers. I don't know if there's a solid surface behind the curtains, if not, you can add vertical supports in front of those dividers to attach roosts, like so:

The orange would be the actual roost closest to the open doors, the darker color is the "step." It may have to be lower than I drew it. But 6" still might not be long enough to fit 8 birds after they fully mature, and lower pecking order birds will probably be pushed off and roost on the lower bar.

Another option would be to make both the same height (which I prefer). They don't have to be nearly as high as you have now, just higher than the nest bottom. If a poop board doesn't fit that way because of the nests, you could always just fill with coop floor with sand/Sweet PDZ mixture and scoop it out regularly like cat litter. Resting the roost bars in something like a closet rod holder or fence bracket will make them easily removable for cleaning.


Oh, and if you really do only have 2 nests (one divider), you could still add the vertical supports but take out all nest wall dividers to leave one long community box. Some chickens really like it that way.

 

[Harley Chick]

My coop is 6'x3' so a bit smaller than yours. I had the same problem with fully opening doors and nothing to attach the roosts to. Maybe you could build a new configuration with (2) 4' roosts and a larger poop board underneath similar to mine. But you may have to add a center support to make it work.
View attachment 1732422



Not sure about adding the roost(s) to go the full 6' length of the coop. Without being there, I don't see how you could make poop board underneath and still leave enough space for them to jump up and down... maybe it would work.

It looks like you have 3 nest boxes, I see 2 dividers. I don't know if there's a solid surface behind the curtains, if not, you can add vertical supports in front of those dividers to attach roosts, like so:
View attachment 1732456
The orange would be the actual roost closest to the open doors, the darker color is the "step." It may have to be lower than I drew it. But 6" still might not be long enough to fit 8 birds after they fully mature, and lower pecking order birds will probably be pushed off and roost on the lower bar.

Another option would be to make both the same height (which I prefer). They don't have to be nearly as high as you have now, just higher than the nest bottom. If a poop board doesn't fit that way because of the nests, you could always just fill with coop floor with sand/Sweet PDZ mixture and scoop it out regularly like cat litter. Resting the roost bars in something like a closet rod holder or fence bracket will make them easily removable for cleaning.
View attachment 1732486

Oh, and if you really do only have 2 nests (one divider), you could still add the vertical supports but take out all nest wall dividers to leave one long community box. Some chickens really like it that way.

Great diagram!!!! how many chickens do you have with this configuration?

 

[feathermaid]

Great diagram!!!! how many chickens do you have with this configuration?

I have 4 laying hens and 3 chicks in the brooder, but I'll be rehoming my oldest soon. My roosts are 3' each and the 4 girls never seem to end up in the same spot each night. Usually, the newest 3 will will perch on one bar and the older girl will be alone, probably because she's grumpy. Though lately, all 4 will be on the same bar or they're split 2 and 2. I expect when my new chicks become integrated they'll stay in their own groups again.
Oh, and my roosts are a free-standing unit so I can (inconveniently) remove them or change orientation (but I can't figure out which direction they like it best).

Here's more ideas I found in my never-ending search for building roosts in coops that have fully opening doors:

 

[Harley Chick]

I have 4 laying hens and 3 chicks in the brooder, but I'll be rehoming my oldest soon. My roosts are 3' each and the 4 girls never seem to end up in the same spot each night. Usually, the newest 3 will will perch on one bar and the older girl will be alone, probably because she's grumpy. Though lately, all 4 will be on the same bar or they're split 2 and 2. I expect when my new chicks become integrated they'll stay in their own groups again.
Oh, and my roosts are a free-standing unit so I can (inconveniently) remove them or change orientation (but I can't figure out which direction they like it best).

Here's more ideas I found in my never-ending search for building roosts in coops that have fully opening doors:
View attachment 1733203

View attachment 1733204

View attachment 1733205

Could I see your set up? thanks again

 

[feathermaid]

Could I see your set up? thanks again

Just click the "My Coop" link under my avatar.
I wrote a ridiculous long article on my process.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Need suggestions or recommendations on the modification of our current roost bar. Currently it is at an angle and holds easily 5 hens. Chicken math has hit and we now have 3 chicks in process LOL. I've attached pics of my current set up and wondered how to change it (if needed) for the extra girls. I THINK the coop is a 4x6 ft .....hubby would know better. I'd like to run it width wise but my concern is the nesting boxes. I don't want to block them in any way but I also don't want the roosting bar too high? With it being 4 ft deep can I add a second bar to jump up on? This may encroach on one of the next boxes? With 8 chickens total is two boxes enough for them to lay? UGH.....

View attachment 1731803 View attachment 1731804 View attachment 1731806 View attachment 1731809

Hi there, my coop

is 4 x 8 and I have eight chickens. I had to add another roost as they got bigger because they started picking on each other in the evening and fighting over roost space. The first roost is 8 inches from the wall and the second roost is about 12 inches from that. I used a 2 x 3 x 8’ piece of lumber that I cut in half to fit. I put a plywood poop board underneath it and covered it with sheet vinyl the poop board just sits on two by fours so I can remove everything and clean it if they make a mess, so far I haven’t had to do that. I always put two layers of newspaper on top of the poop board and that way it only takes me a minute in the morning to roll it up and then I just let it air out in case there is any moisture on the vinyl sheet and then I replace the newspaper in the evening before they go to bed. I have three nest areas underneath the poop board, the middle one is a kitty litter box and then each side has a nesting area and since it is all on the ground they never want to roost on it or really even stay in the nest. They just lay and leave. It is all tucked under the poop board so it never gets poop on.My chickens love the curtains and the privacy. I recently added these extra nesting areas under the poop board because they were squabbling so much! They actually have another nesting area on the other side, but since your area looks 4 x 4, I just showed you the area of mine that is 4 x 4.