Roosting build

[Hotott]

Want to build a stand for my chickens to roost at night, how wide should the boards be ? Want it to be a 3 step one. How high should I go?
Would appreciate any ideas and or pictures.

thanks

Daryl

 

[Dmontgomery]

This was what I made. You don't say how many chickens you have. The rule of thumb is 1' linear per bird. This will hold 21 chickens. It's 2x4's layed with the wide side flat for them to squat on. The top is about 5' high with the highest perch 16" below the window and about 16" away from the wall.
Unfortunately mine hated it and everyone demanded to be on the top row to look out the window so I had to redesign it a couple weeks later.

 

[Karens62]

Go as high as your coop can handle. I've got the highest rung about 5 1/2 ft high, second is about 4 and third is just under 3. They just hop up and down until they find a level they like, or they use it as a stepping stone to fly into the rafters. We built it out of 2x4s and it's really solid.

 

[Leigti]

This was what I made. You don't say how many chickens you have. The rule of thumb is 1' linear per bird. This will hold 21 chickens. It's 2x4's layed with the wide side flat for them to squat on. The top is about 5' high with the highest perch 16" below the window and about 16" away from the wall.
Unfortunately mine hated it and everyone demanded to be on the top row to look out the window so I had to redesign it a couple weeks later.

Did you end up just putting all the roosts on the same level? That's what I did. It seems to work OK.

 

[Dmontgomery]

Yes. They are now all at the same level. If you look close at the picture, you can see another set of roosts to the left. I had made them with hinges so thy could swing up for easier cleaning underneath. After everyone tried to squeeze on to the top boards, I took both sets down and put up two sets of new roosts, using the same boards, with all at the same height. Now it's more comfortable for them and quicker to clean because I don't have to pivot them up anymore. I just added ladders to both sides for them to get up and down.