Roosting height for orpingtons

[jinpark8282]

How height should the roosting bar be for them?
I was going to redo my roosting area in the spring since I don't really see them using it.
Currently it is about 20 inches high. Also I wanted to change out from 1 1/2 to a full 2 inch wide roost.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Probably not high enough. The building I had my orpingtons in, the lower roost was about 4' high. The next one up was over 5' high. The lower roost was almost never used. More importantly, most of them chose to go up into the rafters. I even had to block off the highest rafter because the chickens were pooping on the birds below them.
The rafter that most chose to sleep on was over 7 feet above the floor.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Where are they sleeping now? How old are they? Do you have other chickens in with them? What is some of the backstory so we know what you are dealing with? Photos of the inside of the coop might be useful.

My chicks may play on the roosts during the day but often don't start sleeping n them at night until they are 10 to 12 weeks old. Some wait even longer. That's why I'm asking how old they are.

Chickens tend to like to sleep on the highest location available once they decide to roost at night. That's why I'd like to know what they are doing now.

The way I generally determine roost height is to figure out where the floor is, including any bedding. Then install the nests. Some people like the nests on the coop floor, some like them high enough so they don't have to bend over to gather eggs. Then make the roosts noticeably higher than the nests or any other place you do not want them sleeping. If they are right at the nests or in a tiny coop 6" may be noticeably higher. Further away and 12" should work.

I like the roosts as low as you can reasonably put them considering all the above. The higher they are the more clear space you need on the coop floor for a landing space. You don't want them flying into a wall, the nests, or maybe a feeder or waterer on the way down. If they are flying up or down they need enough room to spread their wings. Sometimes access to the roosts can be an issue.

One easy way to catch chickens if you want to inspect them or treat them is to pick them off the roosts at night when it is dark. The roosts need to be positioned where you can do that. If yours is a walk-in coop that probably means waste to shoulder height. If you have a tiny elevated reach-in coop that depends on what it looks like.

Even fairly young Orpingtons can fly pretty well. If they want to get up there they can if they have room to spread their wings. Canoe mentioned 7', that sounds reasonable to me as to flying ability. Not a convenient height to pick them off the roosts.

I don't know what is going on. The more info you can give us the more likely we can make suggestions that fit your situation.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of your current set up would be great. Wider roost bars should help, I aim for around 2" diameter.

With Orps and other heavy birds, I don't think it's a bad thing going lower with roosts - could help with foot and leg issues down the line. Mine are set at about 30" and 44" or so but I wince when the heavier birds come flying off the higher bar.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Are the Orpingtons English or American-type? My English all roost between three and four feet of the ground but have nice ramps to use. I wouldn't advise letting English Orpingtons roost any higher than that as they can really do a number on their legs and feet falling/jumping from that high up. The roosts are all 2x4 turned with the widest part where they can roost on it.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I understand that 5 to 8 feet is quite high for heavy breeds and as Ridgerunner said, it is largely dependent on the square footage of the coop. Certainly it wouldn't work in a 15 square foot coop. The OP didn't mention the size of the coop, just the height of the roost. I was just declaring how high a flock of Orps, JGs and Rocks chose to sleep in a larger coop given their own devices.

 

[aart]

I like to keep the roosts at a level where I can reach them easily.
I do have ramps for those big bumbling birds,
had brahmas at one time and the BCM cock likes to use them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

 

[Ridgerunner]

I understand that 5 to 8 feet is quite high for heavy breeds ........ I was just declaring how high a flock of Orps, JGs and Rocks chose to sleep in a larger coop given their own devices.

I think part of this depends on the birds themselves, not so much breed. Hatchery chickens are not going to have the same genetics that birds bred for show have so they won't grow as big. Size is important for show birds so they are bred to grow bigger. There is also diet. Some people like to feed their birds rich diets so they grow big. I don't do that, I feed a lower protein feed and mine forage for a fair portion of their food. They are no where nearly as heavy as other birds of the same breed., even other hatchery birds if those are fed a richer diet let alone show birds fed a rich diet.

Canoe, I don't know what kind of stock you have for your mentioned breeds, how you mange them or feed them. I don't know how your Jersey Giants compare to how big a JG can get. I've had several hens and even one fully mature rooster the size of hatchery Orpingtons launch from a five feet high roost, fly forward about eight feet while hanging a 90 degree left, fly out my human door, and land in the run. I've almost been hit in the face with them pulling that maneuver as I walked back inside. If they were of different stock and I'd fed them differently I doubt they would be able to do that.

I have no doubt that some chickens heavy for their breed (which means SOP weight or more) can injure themselves jumping around the coop and run let alone hopping down from a roost. It's just not something that I worry about with mine.

 

[jinpark8282]

maybe my chickens are lazy....
I know I have seen them up on the roost when its day time. Just at night they are on the floor sleeping in the chicken ball.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I assume they are quite young.