Roosts size

[TheJuan-n-Only]

I have a 3 sided coop, and the open side opens to the run. In the coop are a have 2 roosts made of 2x4 and in the run I have a branch....my birds choose to roost on the branch (it's about 2" thick) even with that roosts not being the tallest one......

 

[huckleberry acres]

I'm looking at building a 3-sided coop this Winter while the temps are mild. Have you had any problems having a 3-sided coop? I've thought about keeping a tarp handy for the few nights it might get real cold, but leaving it open the rest of the time. I would probably have my open wall to the South for the Summer breezes. I'm in Lower Alabama. Any thoughts you'd like to share would be appreciated.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A three sided coop should work well in any of the LA's, whether California, Louisiana, or Lower Alabama. I'd keep the roosts in the closed in end and make sure there is a pretty good roof over it to keep them dry and to not invite drafts, sort of a dead end type thing. I've seen ice on the water bucket in December at a Boy Scout Winter Camp outside Biloxi, so it can get below freezing, but as long as they are kinda protected against wind hitting them directly and rain won't hit them on the roosts, they should do fine. People further north than you use the three sided coops.

 

[huckleberry acres]

Ridgerunner,
Thanks for the input. I am planning on an 8'x12' coop in a 14'x14' metal roof area. The North side coop wall (painted treated plywood) will be the only exposed wall. The other 2 walls and open space will all be under the metal roof and should stay dry except for any blowing rain that might get in. The roost area will be well protected as I plan to have a 2' piece of plywood on the more exposed edge of the open "wall" - basically a 10' open area along the long 12' side of the coop. The other end will be protected by more metal roofing that will be storage area for feed and such outside the fence. I'm buying my 4x4 posts on the way home today to start the project next week during the long weekend. My father-in-law doesn't know he'll have some work to do when he comes to visit.

 

[TheJuan-n-Only]

Quote:
I'm in Florida, so no problem at all! I think it speaks volumes that even with all the ventilation I have in the "coop area" the girls still choose to roost in the run! lol

For the one night of the year that is gets really cold here I do plan to put a tarp to cut the wind if the girl roost outside that night.....my flock is kinda of weird, some times they roost in the coop others outside....but mostlt outside...

My coop is way smaller than yours...here are some pics..

Here is where they choose to roost most of the nights (click to enlarge)



...and here is the coop

 

[Ole rooster]

This the roost I made with the picture taken from the pop door. The top pole is a little over 3 inches and the bottom one is 2 1/4 inches. I think I'm going to replace the bottom one with something a tad larger. Believe it or not most of the chickens use the ladder. But they didn't before I put the steps closer together.

The poles are 54 inches long and I've seen all 8 of the chickens on the top pole. But mercy did they do some fussing to get it done.

 

[ECBW]

There are many differing opinions on this. Curiosity got me to test out different sizes and types side by side. This is what I found... they like the higher one!

As for how wide or round, that did not seem to matter either. I have tested 2x4 with the narrow side up (really 1.5") and no problem over winter. Now I have true 1x2.5 with wide side up. A good compromise.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
I also tested this, putting up a few different boards, one as wide as a 2x8 flat side up to see what would happen. My more dominant ones preferred the branches, but that was what they were used to . The less domnant ones, juveniles trying to get away from the dominant bullies, would sometimes use the boards. I kept them all about the same height so that was not a big issue. I put the boards on top of the branch so the board was slightly higher, but not real noticeable. The one surprise I got was that I set the 2x8 on end so the end was about a foot higher than the rest of the roost. I thought the dominahnt one or two would try to move up there. They did not.

I don't read too much in that mine preferred the branches. That's what they were raised with so I think they are just used to them. What I read into it is that it really doesn't matter whether it is a branch or a board.

For the record, the lowest mine have seen is (-)4 F outside the coop. I really don't know what it was inside the coop, but I suspect pretty close to that since I have a lot of ventilation and not many chickens in the coop for its size. No frostbitten feet.

 

[kuntrychick]

Quote:
LOVE that look! I LOVE beadboard/wainscoting! Your chickens must feel really "at home"!

 

[kuntrychick]

I'll try to post some pics tomorrow of the branches hubby put in there so y'all can let me know if they appear to be ok. I can't get in there right now because he's got all his tools, saws & everything scattered around in there from working on the coop.