Roost question

[Josh675]

I'm building my first chicken coop and have a question about the roost. If I build it 15-18 in. off the coop floor do I need to make a ramp so the chickens can access it. Thanks for helping me out.

 

[kittycooks]

Your chickens will be able to hop up there when they are ready for roosting. Young chickens sleep in a heap on the floor but once they get their wing feathers in they can reach your roost. You are very wise to keep the roost low to avoid bumblefoot. Good luck with your coop!

 

[Josh675]

Thanks for the advice. Do you know how high chickens can hop to reach a roost.

 

[kittycooks]

I think it depends on the breed and how much launching space they have. My folks talk about their old farm chickens that roosted in the trees. My medium bodied chickens (easter eggers) can hop up to our shoulders and the edges of my compost bin. My silkies tend to stay lower to the ground. My wyandotte got bumblefoot from a 4-foot high roost so after that I lowered them to about 16".

Old roost with logs for steps. The bumblefoot was due to jumping off the roost.


My new roost is 16 inches off the floor.

 

[Josh675]

Thanks again had no idea they could jump that high

 

[kjlawl]

WHat is bumble foot?

 

[Longview]

I would also ask about the bumblefoot. How does the height of the roosts affect having it or not?

To the OP: When I had my last flock my roosts were about three foot off the ground simply because that was the most convenient height to place it. Everyone did just fine at that height. If you use a light to extend egg production you should consider having the light come on in the wee hours and having the chooks put themselves to bed by natural light. Then the light going off isn't leaving them all immediately darkness-bound.

 

[Longview]

Okay, read up a wee bit, and I guess the action of the birds jumping down from a higher perch can irritate a foot enough to be considered a cause. but it also seems that a lot of other factors can come into play with bumblefoot.

 

[kittycooks]

Bumblefoot is a disease caused when staph bacteria gets into small abrasions in a chicken's foot. My personal experience is chronicled here: Bumblefoot in Chickens There are also many threads here on BYC in the disease forum section.