What width of roosting bar is best?

[Dancingwnature]

I have a standard size Barred Rock. What width is most comfortable for them in the width of the bar and at what distance should the roosting bar be from the ceiling?
TIA!

 

[Rldad1]

I have barred Rocks and use a standard 2"X 3". Sand it smooth and to make it easier to clean, seal it.

 

[Jeanw]

We have Barred Rocks too! Our roosting bars are untreated and sanded 2x4s with 4” side up so they can rest on flat feet and keep their toes toasty in the winter.

 

[RainbowHen]

2x3 or 2x4 is good. Not sure your location but in Wisconsin I find it very important for the birds to be able to completely cover their feet in the winter. Have had birds with frozen solid feet in winter in the past. Hard lesson learned.

 

[Dancingwnature]

2x3 or 2x4 is good. Not sure your location but in Wisconsin I find it very important for the birds to be able to completely cover their feet in the winter. Have had birds with frozen solid feet in winter in the past. Hard lesson learned.

Oh my, frozen feet!! I'm in NW Washington state. Temperate rainforest, emphasis on the rain part. Some winters we get one hard blizzard, others a few 6 in snows. It's not gone below zero since I moved here 7 yrs ago.
How much head space do your hen's have above them when they get up onto the roosting bar?

 

[RainbowHen]

Oh my, frozen feet!! I'm in NW Washington state. Temperate rainforest, emphasis on the rain part. Some winters we get one hard blizzard, others a few 6 in snows. It's not gone below zero since I moved here 7 yrs ago.
How much head space do your hen's have above them when they get up onto the roosting bar?

Oh wow! Worst winter in recent memory was -65 with wind chill. Bitter cold for a week or more. I did what I could for my birds. Our coop was just an old wood shed. Piled it high with straw. Put up wind breaks and gave them a heat lamp. Surprisingly enough I didnt lose a single bird that winter. It was many years ago. My roosting bar is only about 18" off the floor. Much higher than that and I've had issues with bumblefoot.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Oh my, frozen feet!! I'm in NW Washington state. Temperate rainforest, emphasis on the rain part. Some winters we get one hard blizzard, others a few 6 in snows. It's not gone below zero since I moved here 7 yrs ago.
How much head space do your hen's have above them when they get up onto the roosting bar?

No worries about frozen feet in WA. I'd give them at least 12" of head space though more would be better because 1) who wants a ceiling right above their head (like being on the top bunk of a bunk bed) and 2) ideally you'd want ventilation high up above roosts, so having extra clearance means you're more likely to add in vents above the roost as that's where they're building up moisture at night.

 

[Dancingwnature]

No worries about frozen feet in WA. I'd give them at least 12" of head space though more would be better because 1) who wants a ceiling right above their head (like being on the top bunk of a bunk bed) and 2) ideally you'd want ventilation high up above roosts, so having extra clearance means you're more likely to add in vents above the roost as that's where they're building up moisture at night.

Thanks for your advice! I made her first bar far too narrow.