Dowel rod?? Chickens feet are not like Song Bird feet that curl around brancheds to roost or just land to feed on bugs under leaves of shrubs and trees. A flat board is much more comfortable for their feet, give them BALANCE. The wrong move can cause one bird to make another slip off the roost. Feet are more like Pheasants that sleep on the ground (but can roost, of course, in rain, or short times) And yes, I know that there are lots of chickens that DO roost in trees, round branches, but it is not the norm. Jungle Fowl, which may be the origin of domestic fowl, sleep on the ground, are not flock birds, but again, can roost in trees temporarily.
Ladder? Yes, they work, I used to have them--no longer. Just makes it harder for you to reach under it or behind. Chickens (except for the heavies) do like to fly up to their nest box or roost. Giving then a flat board part way up, can give them a safer flight both up and down from their night roost. (And if you place a wide board under their night roost, it will keep all that poop off your bedding on the floor--much cleaner house. It dries quickly and little or no smell. Because I only keep 3 birds to each pen, I used wood fruit boxes with a 2" wide roost board tacked over the open box, line with plastic, a few wood shavings on the plastic--And Voila, it dumps every month, no smell, and the floor litter remains much cleaner for a longer time! The flat roost board, at the lower leverl, gives a nice place to hang out, preen, and get off the floor, in winter when the floor is cold--as well as a halfway stop to go UP to roost at night.
All this may not work for you at all, it is not the only way to roost your birds--but saves me lots of back work, the birds don't care if it is dirty or kind of CLEAN, but I do and I have a bad back --so, be creative and you will find the best way to house your birds. Good luck
Ladder? Yes, they work, I used to have them--no longer. Just makes it harder for you to reach under it or behind. Chickens (except for the heavies) do like to fly up to their nest box or roost. Giving then a flat board part way up, can give them a safer flight both up and down from their night roost. (And if you place a wide board under their night roost, it will keep all that poop off your bedding on the floor--much cleaner house. It dries quickly and little or no smell. Because I only keep 3 birds to each pen, I used wood fruit boxes with a 2" wide roost board tacked over the open box, line with plastic, a few wood shavings on the plastic--And Voila, it dumps every month, no smell, and the floor litter remains much cleaner for a longer time! The flat roost board, at the lower leverl, gives a nice place to hang out, preen, and get off the floor, in winter when the floor is cold--as well as a halfway stop to go UP to roost at night.
All this may not work for you at all, it is not the only way to roost your birds--but saves me lots of back work, the birds don't care if it is dirty or kind of CLEAN, but I do and I have a bad back --so, be creative and you will find the best way to house your birds. Good luck
