Chicken Coop Roost Height and Other Factors to Be Considered in Building Perches

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Determining the right chicken coop roost height is important in keeping your chickens comfortable and healthy. Some coop builders focus too much on other aspects of the design that they usually forget how important roosting places are for chickens.
In here, we will provide you with guidelines on determining the right chicken coop roost height and offer tips on other design aspects related with coop roosting features.

Functions of coop roost poles

Chickens do not usually sleep on floors. Their nature makes them look for an elevated place to sleep to protect themselves from predators and it is common for them to look for an elevated place when roosting at night.

Perch height

Perches or roosting bars should be constructed on a high level, but not too high that chickens will feel discouraged to fly up and use them. The ideal level is at the two-third section of your coop.

Materials for roost bars

The best material to use for perches or roost bars is wood. Some use pipes and metal bars, but wood is still the best option. More often than not, two-inch diameter bars are used for backyard roosts.

It is advisable to shave off the edges and make the bar a bit rounded so that chickens' claws can grip it. The bar should not be too smooth since chickens will have trouble getting a grip. However, it should not be too rough either as you don't want your chickens to have splinters.

Design specs

If you have a number of chickens and you need more than one roosting bar, don't build them one above the other. This is because droppings from the chickens roosting in the upper most level will fall on the ones below and that would be a mess.

The best way to accommodate all your chickens without cramping their space is to build the bars stair-like and not with each bar directly above the other. Twelve inches of distance between poles is the ideal measurement.

Position in the coop

Perches should be placed opposite where nests are located and directly above the litter boxes. Make sure that your litter boxes are enough for each roost pole. Also, make the boxes accessible to whoever is responsible for their regular clean up.

Chicken coop roost height is just one of the factors that you need to consider when building perches for your chickens. Don't forget that materials to be used, their position within the coop and their size are also important and should be given appropriate attention.

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