Roosting poles...nesting boxes....how high? Ladder?

doubleatraining

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I'm almost finished with my coop and I'm putting my roosting poles in.....How high can 2 regular sized chickens and 1 bantam jump? Do they have to have a ladder?

I'm going to have the bottom of the nesting box around 2' and the roosting poles a little higher. I was planning on putting a few other poles in there for options but do I need to make a ladder for the nesting box?

Oh and while we are on the topic of nesting boxes.....what do I put IN them?? I have an extra bag of pine shavings for a horse stall......
 
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the nesting box needs 2 be 3 feet off the ground so snakes cant get them and the roosting pole needs 2 be about 5 feet high
 
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Ok the nesting box is definitely ok being 2' off the ground. Will they need a ladder or can they jump/fly into it?

The whole tractor is only 4' high so the roosting poles can't be 5' high. LOL
 
Pine shavings will be fine in your nesting boxes. My nesting box is externally mounted but level with the floor of my raised coop. My roosting pole is about 2.5 feet up off the floor. Many do it different ways, however.

gamechicken: We don't have snakes where I am, but does raising the box really keep snakes out? I thought they could slither up most surfaces....
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yes that or hay will be perfect and during winter cerder dust will keep them and the eggs warm. u can get cerder dust from a saw mill or u can buy it at wallmart in the pet section
 
u dont need a ladder they should jump in. the snake shouldnt get in unless its a big one
 
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I would use cedar sparingly with chickens, and not at all with young stock. Lots of info on BYC about cedar and chickens. As far as the roosts go, mine have multi level roosts, but they all prefer the highest one. Lowest pecking order hens get the lower ones at night.
 
I've read the same thing about cedar shavings and the like...no good for the chicks. Also keep in mind, where there is a roost....there will be lots of POO! I read someone used what they called a "Poo Hammock", a canvas cloth beneath the roosts to catch the poo. She said it kept the pine shavings below much cleaner and increased the amount of time between coop cleanings considerably. Just a suggestion...I haven't actually tried it but it sounds pretty good in theory!
 
cerder is close 2 the best thing 2 use it gets rid of dust mites also u might need 2 get ur hen 2 fly up alittle higher so they exercise there wing i got min at 4foot 5
 
Ok great. I'll stick with the pine shavings for the nesting box.

I don't have to worry about the poop under the roosting poles, I have a wire bottom and will be moving the tractor almost daily.
 

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