roosts for winter

[Jamie2017]

This is my first winter and I'm in Ontario Canada, so winters here are cold! I was wondering if my roosts at too close to the back wall and ceiling? I read somewhere that if they are too close it will cause condensation problems. I have only 7 Chickens

 

[lazy gardener]

What are the distances between back wall and ceiling? Are those walls metal?

 

[Jamie2017]

yes they are metal walls. there is an outer layer of metal then 2x4 then another layer of metal. The highest roost is two feet from the ceiling and 13 inches from the back wall. The lower roost is 3 feet from the ceiling and two feet from the back wall

 

[lazy gardener]

Got your birds yet? I put my roosts 15" from the walls. Observe them on the roosts, and see how much space there is between tail feathers and wall. Do I see a light socket hanging above that roost? If so, that's a danger. Birds try to eat EVERYTHING that they can reach, and with a socket above a roost, they very well may be jumping up to taste it if they can't quite reach it.

One of my girls decided she needed to launch herself off a perch to get a strip of fly paper I had hanging in the coop. I discovered her dilemma when I went to put the girls to bed, and saw this poor white hen, dashing madly around the yard, trying to outrun something blue that was following closely behind her. I finally caught up with her to find that the entire strip of fly paper was wound over her back, around her butt, under her wings, with the blue cardboard tube trailing behind her. we had to soak it off with baby oil, and cut most of it out of her feathers.

 

[Jamie2017]

Yes I do have my birds, they were hatched in march. They haven't bothered with the light socket, but I'm having it removed soon since the light will be turned on more in the winter. I will look tonight at their tails. If they don't touch should they be ok? Also you asked about the metal walls, is there something I should worry about?

 

[lazy gardener]

Just that metal tends to be colder, IME. Chicken poop can be quite corrosive... but then it can be hard on bare wood also.

Yeah, if they don't touch, they should be fine. Just wondering why you didn't make the perches and poop tray longer. They're all going to want to crowd onto the top perch.

Nice looking coop, BTW. They are gonna love those windows, especially the one near the perch.

 

[Jamie2017]

I didn't want the perches to extend under the section of ceiling that is just wire, I was worried about it being drafty. I've seen them sleeping on both perches I converted the building from a pigeon house. I haven't had any problems with them getting poop on the metal yet.

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

As long as there is proper ventilation, hopefully, moisture won't form. You can also consider heated roosts. They are expensive, but worth it if the winters are extremely cold. Best wishes!!!

 

[Jamie2017]

As long as there is proper ventilation, hopefully, moisture won't form. You can also consider heated roosts. They are expensive, but worth it if the winters are extremely cold. Best wishes!!!

Where can I look for heated roosts?

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

Where can I look for heated roosts?

I'm sure Amazon sells them. You may find them at a feed store such as TSC. Best wishes!!!