roost type: a pressing question ....

[wannabe4birds]

I spoke with a nice chicken-raiser the other day, and re: perches was told that chickens, while sitting on roosts, have their feet sticking out (flat-footed?) and don't curl their talons [?!] around a perch. Ergo, I should use a roost made of a square or flat-edged board. Is this right? I chatted with an old-timer/farmer yesterday who's kept chickens 3.2 million years, and he said no -- the birds do grasp the roosts and so I should use a pole or limb. To illustrate the point, he placed a cute little opington chick on my hand, and she grasped it; did not sit on my fingers flat-footed.

What's the true scoop on this? Thx for any advice/data .....

 

[MissMaple]

I'm no expert but my chickens (and chicks) grasp their roost/practice roost.

 

[SueT]

Ours use both... one is a a flat side up 2X4 the other a nice 3"+ branch , but if you use a branch make it big enuf, they don't like skinny poles...

 

[Howard E]

The true scoop is found here........

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/proper-design-of-roost-bars.1197058/

As near as I can tell, the idea of using a 2 x 4.....flat side up.....is based entirely on the silly notion that they need to do this to keep their feet warm which happens anyway when the crouch down and tuck their feet up into their feathers, regardless of which style roost is used.

There is no scientific research to support using wide boards. There is a lot of scientific research to support the notion of them wrapping their toes over the front and back and when they crouch down to rest their keel bones on the roost, their tendons flex to lock on to the roost so they can go to sleep.

Best off the shelf option for roost poles are 2 x 2's, which are actually 1.5" x 1.5", and most will already have the edges eased the right amount. If it is a long span (over 8') use 2 x 4, narrow side up.