Roosting bars all the same height?

[Brandy2512]

Hi!
I have a very narrow coop and am trying to think about roosting bar placement. Is there any advantage to having a roosting bar that is just one height? Will that keep pecking order drama in check? I was thinking of creating just one long removable roosting bar about 3’ off the floor that runs the length of my coop (6’) with a small ramp to get up to it. The other option I am considering is staggering 3 shorter roosting bars across the narrow part. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated? Right now my girls are using a temporary roosting bar that runs diagonally across the coop and a smaller one going straight across below that. I am not liking it, but we had to rig something up to get them out of the garage brooder box. They were getting bored & crowded at 7 weeks old. I don’t have an interior pic but will get one later to post here. Thanks in advance!

 

[Tre3hugger]

Pics would help. It seems like one long roost may be your best bet. That is what I have for my 10 birds and they share the roost every night. It runs the length of my coop about 3' off the floor. I also have an additional "step" up to the roost which is a 2x2 that runs parallel to the roost but halfway between the ground and the roost. It is only about 1/4 the length of the actual roost, which is an old tree branch. How many birds do you have?

 

[Brandy2512]

Pics would help. It seems like one long roost may be your best bet. That is what I have for my 10 birds and they share the roost every night. It runs the length of my coop about 3' off the floor. I also have an additional "step" up to the roost which is a 2x2 that runs parallel to the roost but halfway between the ground and the roost. It is only about 1/4 the length of the actual roost, which is an old tree branch. How many birds do you have?

I have 8 birds. RIRs & ISA Browns (I think. jury is still out. They were supposed to be Buff Orpingtons.)

 

[Tre3hugger]

As long as you have at least 64" of accessible roost(8" per bird), not too high up or close to the wall, you should be fine. Better to give more than less, chickens like to spread out while they sleep in summer to keep cool.

 

[SueT]

It sounds like a good plan. If you have a lower roost perpendicular, they can use it to get up if they can't fly up, I have one that is 33" high and they can all fly up.

 

[Brandy2512]

Here is a pic when it was in progress

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't have a suggestion for you, just a caveat (warning). Don't put one roost above another, as chickens poop during the night. Any chickens on the bottom bunk are going to be VERY messy!

 

[Brandy2512]

I don't have a suggestion for you, just a caveat (warning). Don't put one roost above another, as chickens poop during the night. Any chickens on the bottom bunk are going to be VERY messy!

Thank you! I did have that happen once in the brooder box when one sweet girl still liked to lay below the little roost I had set up for them.