Will chickens use wider roost if their feet are cold on narrow roost?

MadChickensVT

Songster
11 Years
Sep 5, 2011
138
2
169
Middlebury, Vermont
My coop has multiple roosts. One is a two-by-four on it's side, 8ft long. Another is a piece of pine about 2inches wide, and approx 6ft long. The other roosting spot is the 1" boards keeping the wood chips from falling out the door, they're in a u-shape around the doorway.

We're about to have our first below-zero cold snap. I'm wondering if the chickens are roosting on the narrow boards and their feet get cold if they'll be smart enough to go use a wider roost? Or should I make sure all possible roost are wide enough?

Thanks
 
You would hope so. My girls, when it starts getting cold, I find my girls sit IN the wood chips and not on their roosts at all. Thats when I know its time for me to bring them in. BUT thats me, and I bring mine in when its cold only because I have that option. =_
 
2 x 4 perches seems to do pretty good. I would never bring them in because they all huddle in the bedding. Its the best place to be when it is extremely cold and bedding is very warm to them.

I don't believe in heating coops either.
 

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