What is wrong with my roost?

[daxigait]

I built my first chicken tractor, but even though I slightly slanted the roost box cover they all roost on it as a group rather than using the pole. The inside is 6.5x4.5 9 rir pulletd 4.5 months and a 6 month old roo. Confused newbie here

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[ChickenCanoe]

I can't tell what the roost is made of but it needs to be the highest thing so at least a little higher than the nest. The nest is easier to sit on than the roost so the roost is not attractive. The roost should be at least 2 inches wide so a 2X3 or 2X4 wide side up works well. Just raise it a bit more.

 

[Folly's place]

My nest box cover has more slope than yours, but the younglings still will roost on it. More slope! More time! I couldn't see your roost bar; is it too smooth or too small? Too close to the wall or roof? If there's plenty of room, go out there and put the birds on it at dark for a few days. They don't have adults to show them the way. mary

 

[daxigait]

How close to the roof can I get? I did not want to leave them with too little head room.

 

[daxigait]

It is the board on the right in the photo. It is a rough cut board I think it is two inches or so wide.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They need enough room so they don't hit their head when they hop up onto the roost. That will depend on the size of the birds, etc..

Rough cut may need to be sanded or have the edges rounded to prevent foot pad injuries.

 

[daxigait]

here is a cropped section where maybe you can see the roost bar

 

[daxigait]

It is around 18 or 19 inches from the roof. RIR birds I don't know how tall they will finish at since they are my first birds. I know my buffs in the other pen are going to be bigger, but they are young now too.

 

[daxigait]

Thanks everyone. I raised it some and put the 2x4 back in that I had pulled since no one used it fearing it was too wide. At roosting everyone except one hen and the roo were on it. Those two were squabbling over the roost box space by the window.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Glad it worked. They like windows too. They love to see danger coming.