round or square boards

[chickens12]

hey i was wondering if you prefer round or square boards for roosting? thanks for you help!!

 

[Adenium]

Hmm...I was wondering this too. We will have very cold temps in winter so I was figuring on using the wide side of a 2x4 with the edges sanded down a bit so the birds can really cover their feet when they roost.

But maybe round sheds more poo? Maybe they like to grip onto it that way - it's more like their natural habit of roosting in trees? I'm guessing it comes down to personal preference. For now my 2.5 week olds like their little flat roosts in the brooder, but that's all they've got.

Perhaps you should put up both, at equal height, and let your chickens vote with their feet.

 

[7L Farm]

2X4 use the 4" side for them to stand on. It's easier for the bird to balance on & they can keep their feet warm in the winter.

 

[chickens12]

i never thought of using a 2x4 might just have to give that a whirl

 

[jpcode]

I have been told to use round, or they will have foot problems. I don't know this for sure. I use tree branches. I seldom get frost though.

 

[akovia]

Everything I've read suggests using 2 x 2" with the square edges chamfered off so they are NOT square.

 

[Adenium]

See? It's undecided. You must bring democracy to the chicken coop and let them vote.

 

[coolcanoechic]

See? It's undecided. You must bring democracy to the chicken coop and let them vote.

 

[bruceha2000]

The place we bought had a coop in the shed part of a small bank barn. The nest boxes looked like a 9 y/o kid built them with no instruction or natural ability. For roosting they used some 2x4s laid flat but also had three 4" round fence rails 8 feet long. The 2x4s were set up in a ladder fashion on the back wall opposite the nests on the front wall. The poles angled from the side walls to the nest box wall.
The 2x4s have a fair bit of old poop on them, the rails very little. I guess that means either:
- The 2x4s were more popular (or their location in the coop was more popular)
- The round ones let the poop hit the floor or the birds just used them as walkways.

The whole building is in rough shape and the roof is bad, the floor above the coop has rotted out so the coop is wet. I'm converting a horse stall in the big barn to a chicken coop and plan to use the fence rails as roosts there. The rails seem to be a more natural shape for chicken feet than a flat board yet wide enough that the birds can cover their feet. Plus they cost me nothing and will not need to be shaped

I might have to include a "2x4 on the flat" roost just to see which they like best.

Bruce

 

[Adenium]

Good idea Bruce. You can then also keep track of the PAR, or Poop Acquisition Rate. Let us know how it works out.