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I have just got 6 large cross breed hens for egg and I need some advice. I have set up the run and night house but I forgot the sleeping sticks so they don't sleep on the ground. Now what I need to know is how long they need to be for 6 large sized hens? Also should I give them a choice of 2 sticks or is 1 enough?

They are called roosts

You can certainly have more than one which helps if the chooks lower on the pecking order aren't 'allowed' near the other chooks.

They will want to be as high as possible so you could potentially have one lower than the other (and staggered out ) so they can fly from one to the other. Also they need to be as thick as your forearm (as a rough guide).

Depending on how large your chooks are you wouldn't want to put them too high as they can sometimes get hurt flying down and landing.

Welcome to the world of chook keeping! If you're brand new feel free to let us know what you know about chook care, and what you have available for your girls, and we'd be happy to give you any advice if you like?

I agree with Roova on all counts...

However, I have some Cornish Rock Cross hens (They are what you buy at the stock feed places as meat chooks) and they (mine at least) don't roost - they're just too big, and heavy to stay balanced on the roosts, and don't even perch on the ladder at night which is large enough to hold them.

They do however go into the hut at night to get out of the weather, so make sure they have something to keep them up out of potential water levels if you get a lot of rain and you happen to get a hen that doesn't like heights.

Woops sorry I didn't know that right term, sorry roova, thank you for the advice just what I needed to know. I will install 2 today but is there a specific height I need to install them at or is it best to put them at 2 different heights? I was thinking the first roost at 30 cm then the 2nd at 60 cm?

They will probably sit on the highest perch no matter what you put it. Mine have a perch probably six foot off the ground but they get to it via a table. None of them can fly straight to it.

I had a dog get into the pen one night which I found out after hearing the oddest keening noise coming from the chooks. I raced out to find a dog sniffing around in their shed. I nearly had a heart attack as they obviously did too! I was so grateful the roost was high enough the dog couldn't get to them (I'm just assuming it would have tried to hurt them).

I'm sure they'd be happy with lower perches though, they feel safer being up off the ground. What breed of chooks did you get? If they are a heavy breed I wouldn't put the perches too high. The lighter breeds are a little more agile and probably would handle a higher perch easier.

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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Danny i was going to offer some help/advice , but sure looks like all bases have been covered so all i'ill add is to the flock , cheers n beers gary

Hi, I was thinking with the title we were going to have a snake story!

Welcome to APF.

I am really sorry about the title, now I look at it, I am embarrassed.

Don't be embarrassed. There are probably so many things we all say which aren't quite right!

There are heaps of poultry words we think we're saying correctly until we actually hear how it sounds. Im still not sure whether Leghorn is pronounced leg-orn or leg-horn. And when I first saw Wyandottes I wondered if it was Why-an-dot or why-an-dotty. I could go on ...there's heaps.

The best thing you did was ask for help and thats great!