Space Efficient Roost Layout

[EmilyRobb]

I've started to construct a new coop for my flock that's about 80 square feet or so, roughly 8 by 10 feet. I have yet to put in the roosts, but I want to know what the most space efficient method for their layout would be. I've heard that tiered roosts are the most space efficient, but I've also heard that one bar across the room is the best. I've heard of corner roosts too that appear to form a triangle with the corner of a room. What would be the best roost configuration for this, taking up the least amount of space but being able to hold the most birds (bantam cochins)? Does anyone have a roost blueprint or pictures at all for reference?

 

[aart]

I like my poop board with roosts, leaves the floor space underneath open.
They also roost on the edges of the board and sometimes right on the board.
How many birds do you plan on having?

 

[EmilyRobb]

@aart I'm planning on having between 20 and 30 bantam cochins or so in there at any given time.

 

[OnlyOneCannoli]

My coop is quite a bit smaller than yours will be at 6x7 (still a work in progress too) but I did a corner roost thing. Not the best picture, but I wanted to make it to where I could still get in there easily to clean/feed/repair/whatever. I did two longer ones from the center of one wall to the center of the other two, a shorter one from the center of one longer one to a corner, another shorter one between the two longer ones in the center and then one to the ladder. If you'd like a better picture I can take one. Just say the word!

 

[EmilyRobb]

@OnlyOneCannoli I think that I get the idea from the picture. Do you know if a chicken would be able to just fly up to a roost like that, or do they need some series of steps or bars to get up? I was thinking of making 3 roosts that are each 5 feet long, where each bar is maybe 2-3 inches wide. The first roost would be maybe 2 feet off of the ground. The one after that would be about 10 inches back and 10 inches up. The highest bar would be another 10 inches back and up in relation to the second bar. I'd include a picture but it's not built yet. I'm not sure if that would be a very space efficient option, but it seems to be the most feasible at this point. Any other tips?

 

[OnlyOneCannoli]

Mine is set 4ft off the ground so I'm sure they could just fly up there. I'm not even 100% sure it's enough room for all 12 of them. Should be I'd think. Time will tell there. At the moment there is a ladder I built and today I went to check on them and I actually saw a few of them run/flap/climb up it to get up there! I was pretty excited, telling them they were good chickens and so on!

I can picture what you're talking about. In order to get them back farther though I'd think they couldn't all be the same length in the same corner, otherwise they'd just be one over another. Maybe five feet, four feet and three feet or something like that to get the staggered back and up climb your talking about. At the spacing intervals though your talking about I'm sure they'd be able to hop up there without a ladder once big enough.

 

[OnlyOneCannoli]

Here are a few better pictures of what I did. My whole thing was built out of re-purposed wood. I think the bars are 2x4's that were cut in half.

 

[aart]

Here are a few better pictures of what I did.

Wow, that's a really open air coop!
Welcome to BYC! @OnlyOneCannoli (but I want two haha!!)
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[OnlyOneCannoli]

Wow, that's a really open air coop!
Welcome to BYC! @OnlyOneCannoli (but I want two haha!!)
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2138476

Location updated aart! Yeah...I’m starting to think it’s a little TOO open. Not sure they’ll have any real protection from the rain. Might cover the lower fence sections and just leave the roof vents and the front open.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Only beef I have with corner spanning roosts is the ends usually aren't really usable due to proximity to walls, so you're losing some real estate on the roost bar.