Roost shapes

[Sonic Pug]

I've seen some people use round roosts and some use flat boards for roosts. Do chickens have a preferred shape to grasp onto? Thanks

 

[maizy'smom]

Great question. After researching every (practically)"coop page" on BYC, I've learned that round shower-curtain rods, broom sticks, etc, are not as common or popular as a flat 2x4, or a square 2x3, etc. But, I noticed while playing with the girls as peeps, that their favorite sitz-place, on me, was my wrist...the part that faces up when you shake hands...or the part that you serve a volleyball with..? It's about an inch & a half or two inches across, and kind of flat....sort of like the thickness of a 2x4. So, we went with a ripped 2x4 with the edges planed and sanded. They haven't complained yet...

mm

 

[Nicole01]

My chicks could not figure out how to roost on a 4" board. We added a 6" board in addition to the 4", which makes it 10". Our adjacent roost is a 12" shelf. The feeder is underneath the 12" shelf. My girls are super happy now and all pile up in the corner where the two shelves meet.

 

[maizy'smom]

Nicole, I see you've discovered "chicken math."

mm

 

[ECBW]

1" round, 2" round, 2x4 flat, 2x4 tall, 2x3... my birds' choice is... the highest roost.

Just no PVC (no grip), no metal (too cold for winter and no grip).

 

[Nicole01]

maizy'smom :

Nicole, I see you've discovered "chicken math."

mm

I have room for a few more. I'd like to hatch a couple and keep them.

 

[nickie]

Quote:
I just added a higher roost today. My highest was my shortest and watching them fight over it made me worry someone was going to get hurt when they all fell off

, back to topic... I use old trees cut and angled to mount at different heights and angles on one side of the coop. They vary in thickness from one inch to four inch. They all do the job.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Somewhere in a post someone talked about rounding the edges of a 2 x 4 . Made sense to me.
The bird can sit on it comfortably and keep it's feet warm under him/her.
We set the table saw blade at an angle and ran it through. Hope this pic shows it well enough.

 

[centrarchid]

Mine can handle strong winds from a greater range of directions if roost is round. Wind is an issue if not in a building. My birds also have better looking feet than those of others I have seen that have birds roost on flat surface. In respect to diameter, a better grasp maintained if opposing toes can almost touch.

 

[BairleaFarm]

Seems round would be more comfortable. Ive got 1.5 trees and 2x4s. they use both.