Roosting space needs

[NikkiBoyce 2012]

How much roosting space is needed per chicken for large breeds?

 

[jenniemig]

How much roosting space is needed per chicken for large breeds?

I have read anywhere from 8-12 inches per bird.

 

[Folly's place]

More space is always better. I've got over three feet per bird, and there is still some fussing about location. Mary

 

[blucoondawg]

I have plenty of space for all yet they will crowd and knock each other down to get a space on the highest bar

 

[ShawnRich]

I figured I would take this "space question" opportunity to ask.....How much vertical space?

I was wondering how high to put a roost? How high the inside of a coop should be minimum? So, say 6" for litter/shavings, etc, then nest boxes a little higher? couple of inches? then poop boards above that and then roosts? I am thinking you could get away with, theoretically, 30 " but this seems small. My birds would be in it all winter too, which can be long here......

I am picturing a coop about 4'x5' or 4'x6' floor area....only a few birds. How high on the inside does it have to be minimum. I would like a lower profile in the yard.

Thanks

 

[blucoondawg]

The shorter the coop the harder it will be to give proper ventilation without putting draft across the birds. Ventilation should be at the top of the coop to release the warm damp ammonia filled air that rises to the top of the coop. I left my eaves open for the air to flow through the top of my coop and the highest roost is a couple feet lower than the top of the back wall

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don’t like magic numbers when it comes to chickens but I know people need a place to start. The requirements can vary for different ones of us.

Chickens don’t take up much space on the roost once they settle for the night. But they need extra room so they can get up there in the first place. That often involves spreading their wings and flying or just to keep their balance when they jump. Once they are up there, they need some room to move around to get to their favorite location. That’s determined by pecking order. In hot weather mine like to spread out but in colder weather they often crown together. Chickens that rank pretty low in the pecking order often try to get as far away from the higher ranked hens as they can. If you are integrating the younger or weaker will get as far away from the more mature as they can. It helps too if they are the same age and you don’t have more than one rooster.

If you have just a few chickens, 12” per chicken is not a bad minimum number to go with. That should give them some of the extra space they need. If you have a lot of chickens 9” or even 8” isn’t too bad. Like practically anything else to do with chickens and space, the more room you can give them the better.

I think you’re on the right track for the inside height. Start from the top of the bedding on the floor, position your nests, then make the roosts higher than anything you don’t want them sleeping on. I certainly agree with that ventilation point.

 

[NikkiBoyce 2012]

Well I was just trying to get a general number. I know nothing is set in stone, but I needed a place to start. I have 100 Cornish/white rock crosses coming. Granted, they will be outside in a HUGE run (roughly a little under a 1/4 of an acre) , the coop its self is a 20'x20' , and 10' tall with windows lining one whole side. Granted they will be going the freezer, I was making sure I would have enough room for perches for all of them.

 

[blucoondawg]

Cornish x won't roost I don't think they even can they just get to big. If they did you would want very low roosts so if they did get up there they wouldn't injure themselves getting down

 

[NikkiBoyce 2012]

I have had Cornish X in the past and they roosted just fine