Roosts

[fuzz]

Whats the best material for roosts? Its obiviousally going to be wood but branches? 2 X 4's? Rounded edges? I'm new at this part. The coop is absolutely paradise in my eyes and we just need to add the nestboxes and roosts.

Size? I have regular and bantam chickens.

Height?

Thank You!

 

[Judy]

Untreated 2x4's, mounted flat side up. Chickens don't really like to hang on, as hanging onto a branch, they prefer to rest on their feet. Also, in winter, this prevents toes from getting frostbitten.

 

[Judy]

Oh, height and size....

Height: higher than nest boxes. Depends on coop style. If it is a walkin, about 30" to 36" off floor.

They need about 8" to 10" of roost space each.

If they are young, you can wait til closer to laying time to put in the nest boxes. If you put them in while they are young, close them off, so they will learn to sleep on roosts. Prevents poopy eggs later.

 

[fuzz]

Thank you. We have plenty of 2 X 4's and all the advice is going to be very helpful! The chickens will be ready to move in their coop in a few days

They will be a little older than a month. The barred rocks have a month to go

We will have around 15 chickens in the end so I guess lots of room is needed

I think my dad's goal is to get everything finished and put in there that inclueds the nest boxes. If it has a slanted top will that help prevent roosting up there?

 

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

Ohhhhhhhh - flat?

We have fat dowels installed (think fat broom handles) and the chickens always look a bit stressed on them...

So do they want a platform area?

And when you say a 2 x 4 with the flat side down... do you mean the widest part of the 2x4 is where the chickens want to sit?? or the sort of flat edge piece is where they sit?

I think I screwed up with these round dowels

I think I'll switch them out this weekend.

 

[quiltnchik]

Quote:
Chickens don't hold on to the "perch" like parrots do, so the best thing for them to roost on is the 4" side of a 2x4. It also prevents frostbite on their toes in winter because they can then sit on their feet on the roost.

 

[Nostalchic]

Hey Kate, I love your user name guesswhatchickenbutt, has a nice ring to it. You are right, 2x4 with 4 inch side up (and down) seems to be comfy for them. The only other thing I would add is, there is some opinion out there that having the roosts all at one level, rather than a ladder configuration or staggered helps prevent squabbling over who gets the top spot. My neighbor says she doesn't believe this one bit, but I think it makes sense. I can't tell what my chickens think yet. Mine are on one level. And, from my experience, I would say don't put those nest boxes in there until they are confirmed in using the roost. An ounce of prevention, you know. If they start roosting in or on the nest boxes, it's a bear to rehab them. Good luck!

 

[LilbitChicken]

Let's see.....ours also just like the 2x4s flat side down....BUT we also have natural branches as roosts...and our little OE Bantams LOVE the natural roosts rather than the 2x4s.....

We have ours at different levels...so far no arguments...
BUT defiantly higher than the nesting boxes....

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Hopefully, if it is a 45 degree angle. But it won't prevent them from sleeping IN the nests. Nothing wrong with putting the nest boxes in now, but I would staple some cardboard over the entrance to the nest, or some similar temporary fix, to keep them out for a couple of months.

 

[guesswhatchickenbutt]

THANKS everyone for setting me straight! Man, I was waaaay off with my stupid dowels! GAH! Off to see if we have a 2x4 in the yard I can get cracking on tonight!

(And I live in Florida, so I'm not worried about Frostbite down here - we have heatstroke as our concern! LOL)