Why So Much Coop Roosting Space Needed?

[Raptor Chicken]

I have no idea lol!

I set up our new coop with a 4ft bar and 5ft bar for 6 hens. The recommended allowance is 1ft per bird.

I present exhibit A. And generally they're a lot tighter than this.

This is mostly in jest lol!

 

[Karasu]

...meanwhile my birds, all 12 of them, take up 18 feet of roosting space and some of them still sleep on the nesting boxes.

 

[DobieLover]

I have no idea lol!

I set up our new coop with a 4ft bar and 5ft bar for 6 hens. The recommended allowance is 1ft per bird.

I present exhibit A. And generally they're a lot tighter than this.


View attachment 3317105



This is mostly in jest lol!

Wait until you have a broody raise chicks and take them to the roost and drive every bird off the roost within 2 feet of her kids.
Or try to integrate new pullets into the flock.
Or it's summer time and everyone is hot and cranky.

 

[SamLockwood]

My 3 oldest chickens are take up an entire 5' roosting bar and don't let anyone else nearby. They often have a foot of space between each other.

The younger birds roost practically on top of each other, even though there's plenty of options to spread out.

Chickens are weird.

 

[Raptor Chicken]

Chickens are weird.

I think that sums it up nicely.

 

[Raptor Chicken]

Wait until you have a broody raise chicks and take them to the roost and drive every bird off the roost within 2 feet of her kids.
Or try to integrate new pullets into the flock.
Or it's summer time and everyone is hot and cranky.

Jeez I said it was mostly in jest lol!

We don't plan on adding anything else but I can understand your last sentence, especially in my climate. Time will tell since I finished my build in the middle of fall.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

...meanwhile my birds, all 12 of them, take up 18 feet of roosting space and some of them still sleep on the nesting boxes.

and my, what is it, 40? chickens currently (I need to check my sig) sleep on the 20' of roosting bars in the raised house, the almost 40 foot of roosting bars in the second house, on the roof of the first house, and on the shelf/cat walk attached to the side of my barn....
Actually, they mostly ignore the 40' in the second house, but thats because my goat just birthed twins, and they have pretty well kicked everyone out of that space. Three of my other goats aren't sleeping in their right now either....

 

[RubelliteRose]

I have no idea lol!

I set up our new coop with a 4ft bar and 5ft bar for 6 hens. The recommended allowance is 1ft per bird.

I present exhibit A. And generally they're a lot tighter than this.


View attachment 3317105



This is mostly in jest lol!

That looks a lot like our first coop - 9' of space for 8 chickens in an L shaped roost. What the photo wouldn't show for us is the Terror Twins [my Dominiques] standing at either end of the roost. They would peck everyone's feet until Onyx had over 2' of space, Holly had 3' of space and the other 6 would be crammed into slightly over 4' of space

 

[3KillerBs]

Everybody in my coop gives that Java at least a foot of space. She spent so much time broody and defending her nest viciously that they're all afraid of her.

 

[Hei-hei]

I have no idea lol!

I set up our new coop with a 4ft bar and 5ft bar for 6 hens. The recommended allowance is 1ft per bird.

I present exhibit A. And generally they're a lot tighter than this.


View attachment 3317105



This is mostly in jest lol!

I have 10 chickens. I put a small shelf in there to keep them from getting poo in their water. It’s about 12 inches deep. They all pile on that shelf in a big fluffy pile of feathers and ignore the roosting bar…. There is one bantam chicken who absolutely will not let anyone near her at night. She doesn’t participate in the shelf huddle. Chases off anyone that is on her roosting bar. I made her a natural branch roost that is up high like it is her royal throne.