Should I lower my roosts for older hens?

[Country4ever]

I've had these hens for 8 years. I've been using a roost for them that's like a very wide ladder. the top rung is in front of a window, and they love sitting in front of that window during the warmer months.
But.........Over the past 8 years, I've found a couple healthy hens dead on the floor near it. I'm thinking they fell. The other day I lost one of my beautiful easter-eggers, dead on the coop floor and I'm trying to figure out what killed her. I did notice that she may have had bumblefoot.....although I hadn't noticed it before. I also think another one has bumblefoot.
So......I'm wondering if my roost is too high for these heavier birds (buff orps, Australorps, easter-eggers), and also maybe their feet are getting injured jumping down??
The top rung is about 4' high. The bottom of this ladder-type roost is about 3' out from the wall.
They love being in front of the window.
I was thinking of taking out that present roost structure and making a simple single rung about 16" up.
They are getting old and I don't want to take away what few pleasures they have.........like sitting in front of the window, if its not a huge problem. Then again, I don't want them hurting themselves.
What do you think?
I appreciate your input.

 

[patandchickens]

Do remember that if a hen dies in her sleep on the roost she is generally *going* to fall off, also if she is on her way out and unable to get up onto the roost in the first place she may well hunker down beneath it and pass there; so finding deceased hens under the roost is not particularly diagnostic of anything. It's real hard for me to envision a basically-healthy (even if old) hen dying from a mere 4' fall, either.

Skeptical that your roost height is causing bumblefoot, either; 4' is not high and you are set up as a 'ladder' so they do not have to go down all at once. For bumblefoot I would look at issues of sanitation and what your run footing is like (tho sometimes it can just be 'one of those things')

That said, obviously you CAN lower the roost if you want, I don't think it'd hurt; but honestly I really doubt that it is causing the chickens any problems the way it is, and you say they like sitting in front of the window... so I dunno.

Not sure if that helps any LOL, just some thoughts, good luck,

Pat

 

[Judy]

I was thinking much as Pat was. I'd hate to take their favorite spot away from them; they could always not climb all the way up.

Do you have room to ADD a short, lowered roost? Although I suspect they wouldn't sleep on it.

8 years is a pretty good life span. Congrats, you must be doing something right!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Exactly! Unfortunately they don't live forever but it is pretty obvious you are taking good care of them and treating them well (not just b/c of their age but b/c you are even asking this question). They are lucky chickens.

I suppose if you really want them to have both a lowered roost *and* a view, you could add a lower-down window -- needn't open, just a pane of plexiglas should be fine. Would that make you feel better?

Pat

 

[speckledhen]

I agree with ddawn! I have an Old Hens' Coop with a ladder roost. The first step was about 1' from the floor, but DH added a short ramp to that so they could walk up. I have hens with internal laying and arthritis in there and they seem to like not having to jump up or down. This pic shows my Olivia, who I lost recently to that ailment, and the ramp we built for her and others.

 

[Country4ever]

Thanks Pat and Dawn,

You're right.....they have plenty of lower rungs to sleep on, but they've never done that. They all want to be on top!
I'm leaning in your direction.........when you get that old, you deserve life's little pleasures, like sitting in front of window with a nice breeze.......even if there's a little risk involved! (I know........I'm getting old!)

they are in a big run with soft ground that I occasionally cover with straw. I did do the deep litter in the coop this winter.......maybe there was too much bacteria hanging around ?(as far as the bumblefoot goes). then again.........with age brings on wearing down of everything and maybe the bumblefoot is inevitable in some. I'm sure lots of chickens get foot injuries and they can handle it and it resolves, whereas others just can't fight it off.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Country4ever]

Thanks Speckledhen.........we were writing at the same time!
Sorry for your loss of Olivia. I lost Brownie 2 days ago. Its always sad!

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I suspect you got it just right here. Some little bitty twig might be all it takes.

 

[onthespot]

Depending on the breed and the footing below, four foot roosts CAN cause bumblefoot. Go with your intuition. If you think you need to lower the roost, by all means lower it.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
Sorry about your Brownie, too. Lost too many great girls to the same darn thing. Thank goodness my breeder type birds are not coming down with stuff like that so far.