Take the Plunge: jump from perch

[Chilebound]

My chickens love to roost high, I had a step up roost with three rungs but all tried too fit on the top one. So I made more and higher roosts for them and gave them a latter to climb to get up to the top. In the morning they jump off instead of climbing or hopping down one rung at a time. The roost is over six feet tall. they hit the ground hard as i have clipped one wing so they dont fly out of thier run (five foot high). ANy suggestions? I worry about injury--my rooster has been limping and I wonder if this is the cause. Should I lower the roosts?

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I think I would worry about bumblefoot if they are landing hard. Given that they have a clipped wing and refuse to use the ladder, I would lower the roosts to protect them from themselves. They'll be no worse off for a lower roost and will be better off avoiding any type of potential injury.

 

[scooter147]

To stop the fighting over the top rung make all the roosts at the same height. This trick has worked for me for 40+ years.

My roosts are 40 inches off the ground, they start at 6 feet from the back wall and are spaced approximately 18 inches apart, again all at 40 inches off the ground. I don't clip wings because I use netting over the run but a ladder in my set up would probably get used by many.