Roosting bars requirements

[IgnacioGP]

Hi, I am building my coop and as I am building I am thinking that I don't know what will make a good roost bar. What dimensions are good? Is a square profile ok or should I get something round? Should I paint it or treat it in some way or not? Is it better if I get a tree branch? My chickens are medium/large, no bantams or anything like that.

Thanks!

 

[tsperry88]

They are commonly 2x4, with the long side facing up. Use untreated and don't paint it. Some people use food safe oils to seal the wood, but it takes a long time to dry. I just left mine raw wood. If you have the tools, I like to screw and glue (2) 2x4 boards together and rip it down to 2.5" wide. Then I put a rounded edge with a router or sander. Mine spans 9' with no center supports and doesn't sag.

 

[DobieLover]

Hi, I am building my coop and as I am building I am thinking that I don't know what will make a good roost bar. What dimensions are good? Is a square profile ok or should I get something round? Should I paint it or treat it in some way or not? Is it better if I get a tree branch? My chickens are medium/large, no bantams or anything like that.

Thanks!

You can use a branches, or a 2x4 flat side up or flat side vertical, or any other type of wood that will not allow splinters in the feet or have sharp edges.
You want something that you can clean the poop off of. They don't poop on the roosts all the time but they do get pooped on.

 

[Ted Brown]

This is the best information that I have seen on this topic:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/proper-design-of-roost-bars.1197058/#post-18939241

I used rough cut (top side planed) 2" by 3" widest side up with deeply rounded corners so about 2" wide on the flat surface. I have 1 year olds, 8 week olds and 6 week olds - all are using them without any issues.

 

[lin9]

I read somewhere the poles could be wrapped by bike inner tubes split open.

Has someone else heard about this?

Also, might be a good idea that roost poles are removable for real cleaning and maybe spraying for pest control.

 

[Ted Brown]

I read somewhere the poles could be wrapped by bike inner tubes split open.

Has someone else heard about this?

Also, might be a good idea that roost poles are removable for real cleaning and maybe spraying for pest control.

The link I reference above speaks to wrapping roosts, with inner tubes and other things. Some of the comments in that thread also address removable installation for cleaning purposes.

 

[IgnacioGP]

Thanks for all your replies. The plan is then to find something close to a 2x3 (I'm in europe so the measures are different), round the corners heavily with a sander and put them with the wide side up. Easy enough. I don't think I will wrap them with anything because I don't have any inner tubes of bike tires and i don't want to invent anything.

 

[Onyxflock]

Thanks for all your replies. The plan is then to find something close to a 2x3 (I'm in europe so the measures are different), round the corners heavily with a sander and put them with the wide side up. Easy enough. I don't think I will wrap them with anything because I don't have any inner tubes of bike tires and i don't want to invent anything.

Almost... Don't put them wide side up, but narrow side up. Their feet wn't grip

 

[Onyxflock]

Almost... Don't put them wide side up, but narrow side up. Their feet wn't grip

I meant their feet aren't big enough to grip around a 3" board

 

[tsperry88]

Almost... Don't put them wide side up, but narrow side up. Their feet wn't grip

That isn't the common recomendation. The chicken chick book says either is fine, but most on this site put the long side up.