roosts...natural branches or 2x4's?!?!

[redneck farmer]

I agree.

X2

 

[BrownEggsnHam]

Tree branches would work OK, but I've read about mites hiding out in the natural cracks and crevices that tree branches have. From those cracks and crevices the bugs can come out at night and have a ready meal just sitting there.

That is also what I'd read a few times, when I started thinking that those cracks and crevices can be filled in with the very thing that kills the mites... that being DE. So if the henhouse does in fact ever gets mites, their route from the walls, floors, ceilings onto the roosting branch to the chicken legs is covered with lots of 'bad news for them'. One can't keep very much DE powder on a machine planed/sanded board, whereas this natural texture holds the powder real well. No place for blood sucking varmints to be!

Myself, I find it more sensible to have a cheap & easy deterrent to these nasties than to wait until I get them to try to deal with them.

That being said, I admit I am a 'newbie' in this chicken biz, so there may be other aspects I'm missing. Time will tell on this one....

 

[JackE]

I use Happyjack. I sprayed down the whole coop with it inside, roost boards and all. It leaves a residue that keeps on killing.
Jack

http://happyjackinc.com/product/kennel-dip-ii/

 

[Alaskan]

The only problem that I have with natural branches is that i worry that since they are not flat on top, maybe the toes won't be covered well enough to prevent frost bite.

Of course, with a thick enough branch, that wouldn't be an issue.

But, if you have cold winters, that would be the only thing to really look at.

As to cleaning...sheesh, I don't think removable/easier to clean is a big deal. I guess it is easier to go along a flat perch with a putty knife and pop off any poops, but I don't think it would be that much more difficult to go along a natural branch with one of those wire bar-b-que brushes.

Good luck and have fun with your chickens! .

 

[turtlefat]

Thanks everybody. Judging by the responses I think I will stick with my original plan and do branches. I guess the worst thing that could happen is that they don't work as planned, but it's not a total fail since I didn't spend any money on them. Boards seem like an easy enough back up option though. I am guessing that my friend will also stick with his original plan, which means one of us will come out of this with bragging rights!

 

[JackE]

The only problem that I have with natural branches is that i worry that since they are not flat on top, maybe the toes won't be covered well enough to prevent frost bite.

Of course, with a thick enough branch, that wouldn't be an issue.

But, if you have cold winters, that would be the only thing to really look at.

As to cleaning...sheesh, I don't think removable/easier to clean is a big deal. I guess it is easier to go along a flat perch with a putty knife and pop off any poops, but I don't think it would be that much more difficult to go along a natural branch with one of those wire bar-b-que brushes.

Good luck and have fun with your chickens!

.

When I talk about the roosts being removable, it is not about being able to clean the roost bars themselves. I'm talking about removing them for access to the floor underneath. My roost boards are covering over 7' of floor. Getting them out of the way makes getting to that floor a lot easier, without having to crawl under them.
Jack

 

[Alaskan]

Jack,
OK, and that makes total sense! I was picturing just one or two perches.

You are completely correct, with perches taking up that much space, you would very definitely want some way to move the perches out of the way.