Same height roosts

[keren25]

So many gorgeous coop design ideas but they nearly all have tiered roosts - one bar higher than the next. I understand about "pecking order" but is there any reason I shouldn't make all the roosts at the same height - maybe as if using a horizontal ladder?

 

[paneubert]

Only drawback to having all roosts at same height is the space it takes to have the same linear footage. Think of your ladder. Leaning in on the wall takes way less (horizontal/floor) space than laying it down horizontal.

If you have the space, I prefer all roosts to be at the same level.

 

[DobieLover]

I am renovating an old shed. All my roosts will be at the same height with a 2' wide poop board under all. Under the poop boards will be the feeders, grit, OS. It is not wasted space.

All roosts at the same height generally will reduce roost time pummeling because everyone wants to be on the highest spot.

 

[RumneyRoost]

My roosts are all the same height. They form an L along two of the walls. They all squish into one spot to sleep, but during crummy weather they like to stand on the "non-sleeping" roost and look out the window. Or if I'm late to come let them out they stand up there and yell at me. The other wall has nest boxes, and the other wall has the door.

I keep my food and water out in the covered run. Grit and oyster shell are in small containers that are nailed to the wall inside (out of the poop zone).

 

[PirateGirl]

they can be the same height if there is enough room between them so that if birds are roosting on both bars they aren't bumping each other... generally your roosts should be 12" to 18" from the wall and then double that between the roosts if they are the same height... also be sure that the roosts aren't blocking the access to the ground, I mean the birds should be able to easily jump up and down from the roosts

 

[Chickengene]

I don't understand all I know about roosts. I did have two tree limbs at the same height and actually crisscrossing. One did have a slight bow over the other. My two dominant hens did seem to prefer the slightly higher center position.
However a few days ago I took the limbs down and put in a three tierd system, to make room for five more birds. Now my dominant twins stay on the bottom tier.

 

[Chickengene]

Should I also put in some kind of ladder for them?
They don't seem to have any problems getting to the roosts, but getting down sounds like a car crash.

 

[keren25]

My roosts are all the same height. They form an L along two of the walls. They all squish into one spot to sleep, but during crummy weather they like to stand on the "non-sleeping" roost and look out the window.

How far are your roosts from the wall/window? I read about some "ideal" distances but my last chickens would volunteer to sleep much closer to a wall than those distances.

 

[RumneyRoost]

@keren25 The roost long the window is 8" from the wall, they don't sleep there but they like to hang out on it during the day.
The roost that they sleep on is 10" from the wall. Sometimes they sleep head to the wall, sometimes tail to the wall so it must be enough room.

I don't have a rooster or any extra large hens.

 

[keren25]

Will they sleep perpendicular to the wall? If I actually use a ladder placed parallel to the wall, will they use the rungs as well? It would increase roost area without increasing sq ft.