Roosts

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry it's not working. Just be patient, if you took it out and don't want to put it back in just yet, maybe put the ladder in the run temporarily. They may play on it outside and then if you put it back inside, it may look familiar?
You just never know about those silly chickens.

Anything that I am going to change or do, I usually do it within their site, in the coop or run is better for me if possible and let them "help", they will mill around discussing everything you do, but I've done this since they were a couple days old. Mine are totally fine with a chainsaw, tractor, power tools, etc. But boy oh boy, don't wear a different pair of boots or different color pants, talk about freak out time, they squawk, fly, the cockerel sounds the alarm and hustles the girls in the hen house. Hilarious. Finally they realize it might be me, so they one by one come out

 

[shortgrass]

Lol, so true... I got a new housecoat and they STILL run from me, 4 days later

I agree, give them time; good idea to leave it sit out in the run and let them check it out for a few days, figure out that it's not going to kill them to get on it...

They may not be very smart lol, but they are curious(read:cautious), so that can be both a downfall and a bonus

 

[smudge]

Oy! Glad to see I'm not the only one.

Had to move the girls quickly to a new space because of renovations. (If I'm not allowed in the house while the insulation cures, I figure the birds should be extra far away.)

Thought an old wooden saw horse would be good enough as a quick roost. Only 2 out of 6 agree. I've got 2 girls on the floor in one corner by the food, 2 girls in another corner by the pecking block. Trying to convince myself that if they were actually getting too cold they'd huddle together.

Usually they perch twice as high next to a window sill. With light from a street lamp coming through the insulated curtains. Go figure.

 

[ivan3]

Roosts, huh? Let's not just get started on what serves "best" as a nest box We've only ever used 2"x4"s (wide side for da feets), so there's that. As our hens have all been fat production girls (Sex Links), we kept the roosts at 20" above the bedding on the floor (hop their fat butts down "shock" absorbed by wood chips over sand base). Just wanted to mention, that if coop space is limited, attaching roosts of whatever size/dimension (though could be challenging for irregular "ends") is better for the humans if the roosts can be slipped out/folded away for easy cleaning/rearrangement of coop interior. Came across the shot, below, in the American Memory section of the Library of Congress. The WPA, during the Great Depression, tasked out of work photographers to snap-up shots of Americans going about their business (or not). Think this was a farmer/rancher in TX who had constructed a raccoon-proof "roosting complex" for his chooks (would like to have known how that worked out for him). Perfection is a "state of grace", `nuf said.

 

[centrarchid]

Roosts, huh? Let's not just get started on what serves "best" as a nest box We've only ever used 2"x4"s (wide side for da feets), so there's that. As our hens have all been fat production girls (Sex Links), we kept the roosts at 20" above the bedding on the floor (hop their fat butts down "shock" absorbed by wood chips over sand base). Just wanted to mention, that if coop space is limited, attaching roosts of whatever size/dimension (though could be challenging for irregular "ends") is better for the humans if the roosts can be slipped out/folded away for easy cleaning/rearrangement of coop interior. Came across the shot, below, in the American Memory section of the Library of Congress. The WPA, during the Great Depression, tasked out of work photographers to snap-up shots of Americans going about their business (or not). Think this was a farmer/rancher in TX who had constructed a raccoon-proof "roosting complex" for his chooks (would like to have known how that worked out for him). Perfection is a "state of grace", `nuf said.

I like that setup. Dog below would keep raccoons out as well. GHO could still provide fun. Dual purpose birds would have a hard time flying up to that consistently although Leghorns and games could do it with ease. Also roof and cords would be supporting a lot of weight.

 

[Old Philosopher]

I worked several hours designing a beautiful corner roosts with 1 1/2" wooden closet rods. I made it at just the right angle for my 12 GLW girls to have plenty of room and not be able to peck each other on their heads and not poop on each other's backs.
They don't like it!

They like to snuggle in a corner like they did when they were chicks.

They have been laying eggs for about a month and they still won't get on the roosts at night. Sometimes, they like to sit on it during the day, but not at night.
They aren't really pooping in the corner where they sleep.
I suppose that if I'm getting 8 to 11 eggs a day, it really doesn't matter where they sleep.

Should I be concerned? If so, what can I do other than spend the night with them and keep on putting them up on the roosts all night.
(That's not going to happen.)

Hilarious!
Sounds like you did your homework, insuring the slant of the roost keeps the higher birds from pooping on the lower ones. That design flaw is one reason an entire flock tries to get to the top perch.
Anyway, perching habits in a flock are more interesting that perch material. Right now I have a mixed flock. Some of the hens are over 3 years old. The rest of the flock are Spring chicks from last year. I have two roosters, one 2 years old, and the other is the same age as the pullets. The hierarchy which developed is fascinating.

The young rooster and the pullets all slept in one corner of the coop, while the elder birds got the roost, in order of their established pecking order. The older rooster, and his favorite girls, all took the top perch, Below that were the younger, and less favored hens. The young rooster and the pullets were not allowed to sleep on the roost.

Then I noticed that the roost was becoming slowly populated by the pullets. But those were no longer pullets. As each of the young pullets became a "hen" (started laying) it was allowed to roost with the other hens.

They are all now using the roost. The bottom rung, far right, is reserved for the young rooster. He's still confused about his role in life.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

First time chicken raiser got our pullets on Nov 16 am hoping I have found the right thread for my questions. I am looking to make my 15 (9 wks) chick-chickens (should be all laying hens but still not sure) a nice roost currently half of them roost under one of the heat lamps on their brooder box and the other half down in the shavings under the other heat lamp its curently in the low 20s with snow falling on and off coop stays about 40 degree as its a garage that we have taken 1/3 of for their coop (we have a chicken yard 10X12 outside that once they are a bit older will have a chicken door to) We have attached a couple small roosts on the brooder box and off the nest shelf so they know about them and roost play on them currently. What I am wondering since floor space is limit could I make a nice tall roost and using the under tarp method have it set like an attic door where I can pull it down at night and put it up during the day or do the ladies need a roost down during the day as well? We do have the couple 1x1 roost attached to the nest shelf but didn't know if this would be enough. We will be making a roost tree for them to play in the chicken yard but would like to know if this will be enough?

 

[Old Philosopher]

First time chicken raiser got our pullets on Nov 16 am hoping I have found the right thread for my questions. I am looking to make my 15 (9 wks) chick-chickens (should be all laying hens but still not sure) a nice roost currently half of them roost under one of the heat lamps on their brooder box and the other half down in the shavings under the other heat lamp its curently in the low 20s with snow falling on and off coop stays about 40 degree as its a garage that we have taken 1/3 of for their coop (we have a chicken yard 10X12 outside that once they are a bit older will have a chicken door to) We have attached a couple small roosts on the brooder box and off the nest shelf so they know about them and roost play on them currently. What I am wondering since floor space is limit could I make a nice tall roost and using the under tarp method have it set like an attic door where I can pull it down at night and put it up during the day or do the ladies need a roost down during the day as well? We do have the couple 1x1 roost attached to the nest shelf but didn't know if this would be enough. We will be making a roost tree for them to play in the chicken yard but would like to know if this will be enough?

Just my opinion, of course, but I would recommend discouraging them from roosting on the nest perches since they will probably take to roosting inside the boxes. I had that situation in a crowed coop, and the boxes became fouled in a hurry. I have a 4" shelf on the leading edge of my boxes just to aid in access, but it's not wide enough to encourage roosting there.
If you've look at the interior pix of my coop, the roost you see is hinged like you describe. I raise it only for cleaning, because space for me isn't an issue. From the sounds of it, it might be a good idea in your situation.
I've noticed a few hens on the roost at any given time, especially when it's crowded on the floor. They will also use it during the day if they are getting picked on by other birds. It's apparently a way for them to get away from the madding crowd if they need to.
I've never seen a "jungle gym" in a chicken yard. It will be fascinating to hear how much they use it.
If you can upload pix of your layout, maybe other folks can offer suggestions.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Dani, most of my brooder raised chicks tend to start roosting somewhere around 10 to 12 weeks of age. I’ve had some start just after 5 weeks and some wait longer than 12 weeks, but 10 to 12 is a good average. You can expect yours to start sleeping on roosts soon. Even very young ones will often play on them during the day, but that is perching. Roosting is when they sleep up there.

Chickens instinctively often like to roost on the highest thing available and where they sleep depends on the pecking order. The higher ones in the pecking order get to choose where they sleep. That’s usually at the highest spot but not always. The layout of the coop, position of windows, or maybe something else can alter that a little. But in any case, you want your roosts higher than any place you don’t want them to sleep, like the nests. Chickens poop a lot all the time, but at night when they are not moving around it gets concentrated. Who wants poopy eggs?

I’ve tried 2x4’s flat and on edge and tree limbs of various thicknesses. From my observations the chickens don’t really care about that. It’s height and location that counts a lot more.

I don’t know how big your cop is, floor space or vertical height, and I don’t know your layout, floor print or vertical. I can’t make specific recommendations, just general comments. Make your roosts higher than the nests and give them a way to get up and down. That may mean enough clear space to flap their wings and fly up and down or maybe ramps or a ladder of some type. I find if they have enough room to fly down instead of just jump, they don’t land as hard. If you have Silkies, well Silkies can’t fly so they become a special case.

Sometimes chickens can be bullies, especially when you integrate. But even with a flock all the same age and well-integrated some can be pretty brutal, especially on the roosts. Remember the ones higher in the pecking order get to sleep wherever they want to? They can be pretty brutal in getting the lower ranked ones to move out of the way. So give hem adequate roost space so the weaker can get away from the stronger. That’s not so much a specific number of inches per bird but more of a physical layout so they can get a horizontal separation.

When I integrate younger chickens, I often find the young ones on the roosts with the older chickens on the floor when I let them out in the morning. The younger weaker birds are afraid of the older ones, usually with a good reason. They might get pecked if they invade the personal space of an older bird so they are up there avoiding the stronger birds. And sometimes the older birds go up there just because they like to perch.

 

[AlphaRooster]

I have trouble getting her to roost on the pole but now this!