Roost spacing

[lleeme]

The coop and run were one of the features that attracted us to buy. Then the roof started to fall apart. Due to a few varmint issues now solved (knock on wood) the older hens tend to roost on a support beam near the roof across the width of the coop.

The original roosts are below that and run the length of the coop. I got a cackle mini surprise box in June and have moved them into the coop, and think I need more roost space.

Many of the little do not try to roost and pile in one corner. I try and pick them up and place the on the roost, sometimes they stay, sometimes not. I am also trying ro break them of trying to sleep in nesting boxes.

Other than building a bigger coop, and suggestions?

 

[HumbleAmerican]

Raise the roosts or lower the boxes. They will choose the high spot to roost.

I personally would run a poop board down left side with a roost over it. Remove nest boxes along right side and add poop board and roost. Then have nest boxes across the back. Temp cage like in the picture can then be under poop board on either side.

 

[aart]

How many birds do you have?
How big is coop, in feet by feet?
They need about 12" per bird of roost length.
One thing that sticks out to me is the roosts on the left have a 'sharp' corner they are standing on. Might be why the older birds are roosting on framework.
May have to block those off.
More pics of inside up high in coop might help.

Here's some tips about heights:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

 

[Percheron chick]

The top roost looks too close to the wall. Needs to be at least 15" from the wall. Looks like they used 2x2. 2x4, flat side up is a more comfortable perch for them. 2x2 just don't have a balance point especially when they are not flat. Round tree limbs 3-4" are a good alternative. I would take the roost down and rebuild them. You need 1' per bird and about 1.5' landing space per foot the height of the roost. If the roost is 3' high, you need 4-5' clear landing area in front of it.

 

[lleeme]

G

Raise the roosts or lower the boxes. They will choose the high spot to roost.

I personally would run a poop board down left side with a roost over it. Remove nest boxes along right side and add poop board and roost. Then have nest boxes across the back. Temp cage like in the picture can then be under poop board on either side.

Great idea.

 

[lleeme]

It

How many birds do you have?
How big is coop, in feet by feet?
They need about 12" per bird of roost length.
One thing that sticks out to me is the roosts on the left have a 'sharp' corner they are standing on. Might be why the older birds are roosting on framework.
May have to block those off.
More pics of inside up high in coop might help.

Here's some tips about heights:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

I have 9 full grown, and 27 from surprise box hatched 6/1.
It is about 6' by 8'.
They are actually about 1 1/2 to 2 inch octagonal rods. They happily were roosting on those until a raccoon got in. Been feeling safer up high ever since. (I have done the best I can to get rid of the coons. Apparently, my husband shooting at the one we trapped for 15 minutes with fogged glasses has them stearing clear of our place. )
It has been storming out so the bigs were already settling in. One of my laying hens had her wing clipped too short so she can't fly up with everyone else. I also have 6 nesting boxes outside in the run. Perhaps I should take them out of the coop and maybe put in a removable one once winter sets in. In North Mississippi we don't get really bad weather. By then I will not need separate space for chicks.
I will be cutting back once I figure out who the roos are.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I've used octagonal rods before so they might not be an issue as long as any sharper edges are sanded down a bit.

I think the main issue is # of birds to amount of space (plus the fact that you're integrating in chicks). Assuming half your chicks are roos and soon will be gone, you're still looking at 22, 23 birds in a space that can hold about 12. That is a lot of birds for that space, and having 1 roost that crosses over top of the lower roosts makes the lower ones unattractive as the birds on them can get pooped on from above.

 

[HumbleAmerican]

I dont know if its been mentioned yet. Ventilation needs improved in there too. With the gaps in the boards, opening the top ends of the roof might be enough.....

 

[lleeme]

The top roost looks too close to the wall. Needs to be at least 15" from the wall. Looks like they used 2x2. 2x4, flat side up is a more comfortable perch for them. 2x2 just don't have a balance point especially when they are not flat. Round tree limbs 3-4" are a good alternative. I would take the roost down and rebuild them. You need 1' per bird and about 1.5' landing space per foot the height of the roost. If the roost is 3' high, you need 4-5' clear landing area in front of it.

I actually have several tree trunks I pulled out of the garden I can use. Thanks for the info. This was all here when we bought the place.

I dont know if its been mentioned yet. Ventilation needs improved in there too. With the gaps in the boards, opening the top ends of the roof might be enough.....

There is this, see pics. It is the back wall. Do you think that is enough? I can probably remove some boards to make a bigger removable hatch. I would need to get some hardware cloth. I have new roosts up, still removing the nesting boxes.

 

[rosemarythyme]

There is this, see pics. It is the back wall. Do you think that is enough? I can probably remove some boards to make a bigger removable hatch.

Is that all the ventilation that's open 24/7? Uh, in the third photo on this post https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/roost-spacing.1541575/#post-26019094 (direct link to image)... are those open coop vents or what am I looking at? If so, are those vents always open?

You need around 1 sq ft per bird in ventilation, in moderate climate. Hot climates, around 2-3 sq ft per bird is suggested.