Roosting Meaties

[McButterpants]

I'm sure this has been answered many time before, but I think I read somewhere that meat birds should NOT be allowed to roost at night (or any other time). I'm raising DP breeds not CX's if that makes any difference. Any answers out there?

 

[LilyD]

I'm sure this has been answered many time before, but I think I read somewhere that meat birds should NOT be allowed to roost at night (or any other time). I'm raising DP breeds not CX's if that makes any difference. Any answers out there?

I have DP meatie birds and they have roosts in their pen. There is no reason to not have roosts for them. If you don't they will find things to roost on that you may not like lol.

 

[Life is Good!]

Our FR's roosted and fought over space on the bar! So yes, just make the roost fairly low to the ground (less than 3' high), as when they're big monster birds, you don't want anyone getting hurt. (Our roost was 21" off the ground).

 

[Oregon Blues]

Mine will get up on low objects and roost.

Roosts should be low to the ground, because I suspect they might injure their legs if all that weight landed on their legs from some height.

 

[LilyD]

This years batch of DP meat birds actually roosted on the 4 foot field fencing because they didn't think the roosts I gave them were big enough. I ended up cutting up some very large logs and throwing those into the pen with them and that solved the problem. That and the fact that they are now more than 7 pounds each lol.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Actually, if you are raising dual purpose breeds the rooster should be able to roost exactly like the hens do, which can be up high. It's the heavy meat breeds, specifically Cornish Cross, that probably should not be jumping down form heights.

 

[erinchelsea]

ITA that you might as well provide roosts for them, or they will find something else to roost on. The Cornish Rocks won't try to roost once they get too big, anyway.