square or round perches

[nwfl]

we have every kind of wood roost, natural, manmade, free and bought. they will roost on anything even the top of my brooder. i have liked the look of 1-2 inch diameter yaupon best of all though, the ladies prefered it too.

 

[goldies99]

depending where you live...(if you have cold weather and snow)....in the winter, a good old 2x4 on the flat side up works great....keeps their feet warm under them!

 

[crankster76]

personally, I just cut a limb from a tree.it varies in size so they can choose where is most comfortable. there are dowel rods in 1 or 2 of the coups but most are limbs.

 

[azhenhouse]

This is the roost we have for our chickens. It is a 2x4 that is 10ft long, with containers under it for the droppings.

 

[redhotchick]

I see this "fight" all the time,but here is my 2 cents.I put natural branches,2x4's up and flat.Gave my birds a choice.Not one of my chickens uses the 2x4's.They all go for the natural tree branches.If its cold where you live,use a thicker branch.

 

[mauigirl]

thanks redhot - great suggestion let the birds choose - so far all serama are going for the round perches

 

[JesseMT]

Did you use a planer or band saw to take of the top ridges? Are your birds so heavy that you need joist hangers? I just bought two Orpington pullets and they spend more time perching on the top edge of my perimeter fence than anywhere else. They do keep trying to leap/fly into on overhead tree branch. Any short term fixes for a beginner?

 

[JesseMT]

Are the vertical [load bearing] boards secured with concrete or just hammered into the dirt?

 

[Butterflygirl50]

I use 2X4's and cut the top two corners off. They seldom get any poop on the boards.
I did make the spacing wider after this picture was taken.

I just finished building my coop. Can you tell me what you used to build this so I can get the supplies.
Thank you.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Are square preferred over round dowels.

Most chicken owners on this site use 2x4's wide side up for roost myself included. I live in Canada where winter is harsh. I find they rest better in cups for easy removal to clean my poop boards which are only 3½" inches away. My poop boards work as a safe guard for eggs laid through the night.

There is a large minority that use branches or round roost with excellent results. The round roost are beneficial in the wild while the birds sleeps and certain smaller heritage breeds would prefer them. The chicken has an automatic locking mechanism in its foot that prevents it from being blown off a round roost in strong winds.
Not a problem in most coops.

Experienced chicken owners who raise chickens bred for egg production would agree that positioning or the highest roost in a coop are the most desired regardless if it were round or flat.

Something a kin to their favourite nest box.