Roosts...best ideas?

[JeninMN]

HI! Would love advise on roosts..what have you found to work the best...how high up should we go at first...any pictures and advice is much appreciated!!

 

[greenmulberry]

I used 2 by 4s, flat side up. It gets bitterly cold here in the winter, so I wanted flat roosts that would allow my hens to easily cover their toes completely when they roosted.

I like 2x4s also because they are so easy to cut and attach, due to the square corners. Some people round of the edges.

Put the roosts up high, and have plenty. Chickens like to roost as high as they can and may bicker over the best spots. If you have very heavy breeds, however, you may want to consider a "stair step" pattern to the roosts, so they don't hit the ground hard when they get off. Also, I believe that certain breeds, such as silkies, may have trouble getting up on high roosts, so you should always consider the breeds you have and adapt to their needs.

 

[Wynette]

2x4's work best in coops, for sure. Out in the run, I have several "chicken trees" that they enjoy roosting on:

 

[WestKnollAmy]

We made the chicken ladder. Six ft long with 4 steps.
Used the 2x4's even though it doesn't get extremely cold here but I have a lot of ventilation in the coops so I thought they might appreciate the flat boards.
We put the tallest step 5' high and the next one 2 ft down from that and so on. Everyone wants the top bunk! Very few sleep on the second step but they use the other 2 to get up there since they are only 8 weeks old.
What is funny is to watch them slide down the side "banister" just like kids in the house. Some kind of funny birds.