Roosts

[rhodyray]

I plan on building perches and drop board at the same height one 16 inches behind the other at a height of 32 inches and don't plan on a ladder for hens to climb to access perches. Is this a good idea? I currently have one 70 inch perch for six hens and am going to buy eight to replace the six and think the current perch is just too small. There will be 2 RI Reds, 2 Barred Rocks, 2 White Leghorns, and 2 Americanas. Am I correct to think the current perch is too small? I thought there'd be no competition for the higher perch and it certainly will make it easier to clean the drop board. Here's another option: What do you think of me adding another perch perpendicular to the current one to accommodate the two additional birds. My coop is 4' X 7' and the current perch is 16" deep so the new perpendicular perch would be 16" from the end of the current perch and about 27" long. I'd assume that at the corner of the two perches no one would sit at night. What do you think of this idea? Your feedback is appreciated.

 

[SamLockwood]

As a general rule you can't have too much roosting space. They recommend 1 foot per bird but you can't go too far wrong by doubling that.

My coops are at most about 4' tall from floor to rafters & since my birds like to roost as high as possible the main roosts are about a foot below the roof. I then put some bars a bit lower so they can leap-frog up more easily at dusk.

A lot of them like to sleep "outside" in the covered run, so I've accommodated them there as well. My permanent flock averages 32 birds & I probably have a total of at least 60' of roosting bars.

Inside the smaller of the coops at sunset, showing the top roosts & the rooster on one of the intermediate bars.

The early version of the roosting setup in the big coop, AKA "Fort Guinea." Since then I added two more bars (2x2) running the lenghtwise up top. The "ladder" setup below was a slide out which I've since replaced and I added three bars running crosswise across the whole coop for intermediate bars. Overall I try to have at least a 12" gap between the bars, ideally 16" to 18"

The "outside" roosts before I added the roof. It's sort of a jungle gym for them. Overall I like the 2x4's for long-term roosting, as they can completely cover their feet in the winter to ward off frostbite. The intermediate bars or "day roosts" I'll use 2x2's.

The top roosts are about 5' each. I've got 3 diagonals that are roughly 3' long in 3 of 4 corners. The birds seem to like using the diagonals to stage entry into the coop at dusk.

The bar the two legbars are preening on in the foreground is about 4' long & moveable (the base is made out of 4x4's), with some roughly 1' extensions all over it sort of like a jungle gym.

One thing I do with roosting bars is I try to watch how they use them, and often times I'll add more or change them up a bit if they have issues or they're fighting over a "choice spot."

For instance, last summer I had a guinea get completely lamed in one leg. While she was healing & hopping around on one foot I made a little "booster" bar out of part of the old ladder bar setup with a 2x4 tacked to part of it so she could get to one of the diagonals to roost at night until she got better.

The current "compound" as it sits now after adding the roof & the addition to the small coop. The interesting thing is that throughout the day the go back & forth between free ranging & here either to lay eggs or "cool off" if somebody is getting picked on.

I've also added roosting bars under my back deck, which I call "the bunker" because if they're feeling particularly threatened the bulk of the flock hides here. I think they like it because they can't be seen but can see out. The arrangement is also such they can fly from the roost to the front door of the run. You can see the edge of it in the upper left.

This arrangement is a grid with three 8' 2x2's lengthwise and four 4' 2x2's across. with six struts that attach to the deck joists.

 

[aart]

With my poop boards, some birds will roost on the edge of the boards, some roost right on the surface(it's cleaned daily).
The board makes it easier to get up onto the roosts, so extra roost length is not needed.
A single roost over a 2' board is the best design I've seen.
I do have ramps to the up to the poop board because of some heavy birds and limited fly down space, tho most don't use it.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I agree that poop boards with sufficient edges provide additional roosting space if needed for those "pecked on," in my flock. I REMOVED the 2nd roost bar that you can see is above the poop tray edge. It was just not necessary for 8 chickens (and now that I have 15, I installed another 8 foot roost on the opposite wall.) The tray is 24" deep, one roost bar 12" from wall. Easy peazy, no mess and I now have only the one bench to help the bigger ladies hop up and down.

 

[Gill-b]

AKA "Fort Guinea."

"compound"

Had me laughing out loud - love it!

"the bunker"

 

[AGeese]

I've got over 7 ft of 2x4 and it wasn't until I added the 2nd roost that there wasn't serious competition between 8 birds. Occasionally they were kicking each other off, but now everyone is happy for the most part.

I don't have stairs either, just another lower 2x4 they jump to.

View media item 7962629View media item 7962628

 

[aart]

I've got over 7 ft of 2x4 and it wasn't until I added the 2nd roost that there wasn't serious competition between 8 birds. Occasionally they were kicking each other off, but now everyone is happy for the most part.

This gives them somewhere to fly up to then step onto the other roost, also a place to reshuffle positions.

 

[texsuze]

My girls over the years have tended to live to 7, 8, and even 9 years old, so I've always had ramps incorporated into the coop and run so none of the elders has to heave ho up onto an elevated structure. Helps the chickens, easy to build and will be there if/when they decide to use it. My ramps are about 8" wide with smaller profile cleats attached at about 3" intervals. I keep ramp angles <45 degrees. I also make sure that anyone who prefers to jump down from higher locations has a decently safe landing material, i.e. not straight onto concrete or scant shavings, etc. Just sayin'.