You're welcome. Thanks for sharing.

Our vet who has raised many chickens suggests a flat roosting bar about 2' high. Make sure they have a plenty of soft bedding material to jump down to which will protect their feet from bumble foot. I use Kleen Koop.

I use hazelnut poles almost perfectly straight and the perfect round shape just right for their comfort.

We use tree limbs as well, it is perfectly natural for them

Great idea. I will steal this

Glad they are all laying now.

I'm laughing at; why auto door when you go out every night to close it...🤣

I heard 2x2s or 2x4s are best

Ahh, they raise chicks under their feathers... what makes you think they can't cover their claws!?

When you live in an area that has very low temps, they end up getting frostbite when they have a round roost bar because their feathers do not cover the bottom of their little feet.

First year with chickens, glad I read your comments! this makes a lot of sense for cold climates

I use 1/6 boards bothey stay warmer and closer together

They also have a spot to rest their breast so all their weight isn't on their feet. Lets not pretend many chicken breeds are not much heavier than their wild ancestors were. I think a flat 2x4 makes the most sense for them.

Your logos is illogical, you chose to be lazy and cheap.

Jehovah?!FFS

Yes, exactly. That is our same experience.

I use news paper, 2 sheets or three. Take the paper with the poop out in the morning into a garbage bin. When that is full, it goes into the compost. My coop always smells fresh and clean! Got 4 chocks. Easy as and fast clean out!

How high from the floor/ground is your roosting bar? Thank you! 🙂

@@marialeach8960 I'd say to the first one it's about 4 foot off the floor, I have 3 & There stair steps the next is about foot higher and 3rd one is another foot higher... Usually they will all roost on the 3rd roost , But if you have one that waits till last minute to roost, She'll be on the first or second roost Gets dark they can't see to get to the higher one..

You misunderstood me. I never said they roost on bamboo in the wild. I obviously know how it grows. Check the German study on rounded roosts.

@@CountryLivingExperience No...you didn't tell that chickens roost on bamboo in the wild; And I didn't say that you said that!! You show bamboo in the video as a roosting bar option for chickens. Bamboo is too slipery & too round, which forces them to keep their feet & toes holding hard locked, curled up for the whole night, to not fall.

@@susanaesmerald2291 You implied it. I also said it was slippery so you needed to rough it up with sandpaper. I also said the correct min diameter per the studies regarding round roosting. I perfectly understand chicken feet and bumble foot and my chickens have never had it. It is more commonly attributed to chickens not having enough space to jump down off of a bar and injuring their foot. Or jumping from a bar that is too high where there is no other intermediary rungs to jump down on to.

@@CountryLivingExperience I understand what you said, but roughing it up with sandpaper can make it even more dangerous as under the slipery shinny coat of bamboos there are layers of sharp fiber like threads that can cut the skin. And NO cylindric things are healthy & comfortable for the chickens' feet my dear friend.

Lol. What is your goal here? To be a white night and post a comment that nobody will see in order to save someone from the dire throes or a round roost bar? If you already know everything about chickens, why watch the video?

Awesome! Glad we could help.

🚐VROOM 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Same here! I didn't know why they wouldn't roost until I added a light after watching this video and Voila! They're all up on the bar I put in after a night light was added! Thank you for the info!

Can you use just de or do you have to cut it with mostly all dirt or sand so that there isn't enough to cause a respiratory problem?? Thank you!!

@@juliabrown5948 food grade in the house does not cause humans respiratory problems. Just sayin 😍

Yes food grade DE ...😁

@@juliabrown5948 I make a combo of 1/4 dirt sifted, 1/4 sand, 1/4 ash from my fire pit sifted, and a 1/4 DE. My girls love it! When they free range in my yard, they usually pick a dusting spot in the yard so i just add a lil DE to their dusting area 😉 I never have any live or might issues. The food grade DE definitely does the trick 😊

Absolutely, I put DE on their sawdust the chickens poop on too as well as in their nesting boxes. I have artificial grass pieces in the nesting boxes and I put DE on the artificial grass as well! Also have a child size swimming pool with dirt, bark dust, and wood ash and DE in it too! Got a large umbrella for a patio table that I cut the handle down to where it’s only a couple feet above the kiddy pool for their dirt bath so the dirt don’t get wet when it rains plus gives the chickens a little more security from flying predators not being able to see the chickens bathing with the umbrella hiding them! We had some issues with owls, hawks, etc. flying down attacking our chickens. Hard to avoid when you allow chickens to free range unfortunately. So try to give them as many hiding spots as I can! Unfortunately putting DE on the chickens don’t keep the predators away! LOL

Very interesting

Roosts all the same height is the way to go at about 3 feet up.

@@John_Malloy we had some that didn't like a coop so we left them out. The next thing we found them roosting in the riding arena on the rafters. We still don't know how the do it. There are 15 of them that does it.

This is true .. I have raised a bunch of chickens through the years .. today i have a 4x8 coop/ portable pen i built that i move via a lawn tractor... with that small space there is not much space .. however, i have 5 birds .. of course the rooster is #1 in the pecking order... i acquired 2 young hens that arw one month younger than the other three.. the original 3 of course have their pecking order worked out and the new , smaller , birds are picked on so they range together away from the three.. I use a 2x4 layed flat for a roosting bar.... at night I let the three get into their positions and then hand set the 2 smaller ones up by hand .... i let tjem out.in the morning .. I never have had a problem with a 2x4 layed flat. The poop doesn't build up like you'd like to think... they are big enough , even the juveniles, that their butt hang over enough to let the droppings hit the bottom of the hen house.. Still waiting for the 2 hens to get accepted into the flock... or get to size .... but its part of the hobby... Chickens are great entertainment... I feel these birds sleep better on a flat bar than a round one... they can set a whole lot better than with a round one.. ... been raising chickens for about 38 years and I'm a firm believer in flat roosing bars because another thing i noticed , is that because they rest better their production is better... All from a simple thing like a flat roosting pole..

Cool

Glad we could help.

Clissa, thanks for all the info!

Be careful with a male duck with chicken hens. He will try to breed them and most likely kill or injure them in the process. Duck Anatomy I'd completely different than chicken anatomy.

Cool. Thank you.

That is a great idea

Im using aluminum so there isn't anything hiding in cracks. Just through this bout

@@JohnSmith-cn9pt that is what I put in. but I think it might be too cold to roost on in the winter

My husband made ladders for our coop very cool and western looking 👌

@@JohnSmith-cn9pt I hope you live where it’s never cold..

Cool

I used them also, no problems here eithe

Thank you for this info. I have Crape Myrtles, I'll have to find some larger limbs.

We used crepe myrtle and bottle brush. The bottle brush has a coarse bark, but it is easy for the almost 8 week old chicks to grasp quickly in flight and hang on to.

Awesome! Glad we could help

Hey I need the link to that light please and thank you!

Yep, first thing I looked for was a link to the light you used, lol. Would be great, thx.

Thanks

I live in MN and my chickens feet would freeze if I didn’t have a flat, wide roosting bar, this way they can cover their toes with their down and stay nice and toasty. The poop goes below and not on the roosting bar. I pressure wash it once a year and paint with white wash, 3 coats on a dry day, new bedding (deep litter method) and they are good for another year😁

can see that in really cold weather, guess mine were dumb they didn't seem to care, maybe not as cold?

How wide is the roosting bar that you are using so that the chickens feet are covered? Please.

Other post say 2x4..

Yep. I do that.

Thanks, great advice.

Cool. They poop all over my 1x3's. I may change to the branches.

Do tell where you got your rope lights paleeeeze! 😊

@@tonij9089 - any larger hardware stores should carry them in their lighting department. Can’t give you names as our stores here in New Zealand are completely different. However l have been in stores in the states and have seen the rope lights there. We live off the grid and rope lights are great in many ways. We are building our first hen coop on this property. We don’t have predators, accept rats and stoats so it’s very unusual to have coops off the ground, tree branches are the norm for perches. I have never seen a coop with lights, however we have an extended twilight period here in NZ so our hens have an hour or two to roost before it’s lights out. Good luck with your coop.

@@tonij9089 Harbor Freight has solar rope lights. And, of course, Amazon, but I try not to buy from them.

I am also in NZ. Can you tell me where you source your chicken supplies as I find Farmalands is pretty useless. I really need a good supply;y for the pest control, eg mites and lice. Thanks @@libbysevicke-jones3160

That is awesome! Glad we could help.

Where u get the light ? What's it called?

Cool. Thank you

I have a 2x4 in mine 4 they put their feet on I wonder if my one hen does not like that I have one hen don’t want to go up on the roost she wants to hide in a corner I stoped the corner now she wants to sit under the roost in the corner which is no good at all. I been going out every night putting her on the roost. Anyone have a suggestion?

I did see one breed of chickens, I think a Polish. Had very curly toes that needed to roost on something round. So I guess a factor is to look at their feet so see what would be more natural for them.

Yes, please give them flat boards. They need the support for their feet. My chickens don’t poop on their boards cause their butts hang off the boards.

@@whatintheworld532 I had both and no rooster on the flat roost they all went on the round one. So I removed the flat one and replaced it with a round and now some of them roost on the round.

cool

Cool

Thank you, it is.

Glad it was helpful!

My dog would eat mine if I didn't have them in an enclosed run. Have you ever thought about moving to the countryside?

Joanie S - we keep our dog limited in his interactions with the chickens for the same reason. The chickens are so much fun! We have really enjoyed having them

My dog's initially went full-on chasing them for dinner, but now they don't give them a second glace. Phew!

It has a sensor and was set on the lowest setting. I talked to the manufacturer and he sent me a new one. Branches are good.

Thanks. Glad we could help.

My daughter also she's 1 2 has 3 started with 6 dog got 3😪😪.we took care of that fast. But was so sad. Thanks for the video

Yes, absolutely. Cedar does the same and both are great for keeping away pests.

Nice! I wish I has some cedar.

You're welcome

I thought of tree limbs but they do break after a while and I think the safer option is either 2x2's or 2x4's on an angle and rounded over so no sharp edges to harm their feet

Glad we could help!

You're welcome

Glad it was helpful!

Glad we could help

Hey there. I just looked through you channel for the video your speaking of. I'm very interested in this contraption you have invented..

I'll check it out. Thanks.

Glad to have you here.

Thank you so much!

Glad it was helpful!

Thank you. That is cool. I may give that a shot in the future. My chickens are doing well now.

I do that as well. They didn't learn.

Thank you! Will do!

Thank you. Glad it was helpful

You're welcome

My chickens poop on my flat bars.

@@CountryLivingExperience lhow are they pooing on them? They sit on a flat bar, the same as they sit on a round one. Their bums hang off the back. I have a rail in my coop, which use to be a shed. It is 6 inches wide. Some of the hens choose to roost there. Even on a six inch rail, they still poop on the floor. A line on the ground, right below the flat rail. So unless your chickens are sitting side ways along the rail, they will still poop on the floor.

I had flat bars and had the same problem. Chickens pooped all over them as they walked back and forth. Given both options they picked the roost I made from small trees.

@@jameshilbert4005 I'm going to do that. Great idea.

I like to use flat bars as well such as a 2x4 flat side up. I will also use 4x4's which I can span out a full 8 feet for a secure roost. The chickens will walk around and jump from bar to bar and some poop on the boards does occur. I scrape it off in the morning before it dries and sprinkle on some PDZ stall refresher (powder). I brush it off a few hours later and the bar is clean and fresh. The powder brushed off the bar helps to dry the litter as well.

You're welcome

Glad it helped!

Bamboo grows to many diameters. I had what I called a bamboo forest outside my condo in a town on the west coast. Someone seemed to have planted all their discarded houseplants outside the building. The bamboo grow very tall and very wide. It just kept growing and encroaching and the roots were HUGE and pervasive. There was no way to kill the stuff. So, if you can find a bamboo forest, you will surely find many diameters of bamboo. But if you plant bamboo, be sure to plant it far from any infrastructure you want to keep intact. Watch those videos about people building houses in the jungle. The "wood" they use is bamboo. It's very strong, lasts a long time... come to think of it, I may plant some here - on the other side of the property. :)

Plus bamboo is very slippery, smooth to the touch, no good for chooks. Even hard for parrots to hold securely and chook feet are not like parrot feet. Chicken's feet are made for flat ground. Give me a wide plank anytime over bamboo.

Nice to have you here! We have a few different coop vids.

You're welcome

I'm guessing after a year they're all eaten by aerial predators.

Cool

Lol. Thanks Laura.

Glad it was helpful!

Nice!

I read on a few different articles online and magazines too that it’s better for the chickens feet to roost on a 3 1/2” wide board. So my roosts are all 2x4’s with the 3 1/2 “ turned where they chickens stand on them. You mention chickens pooping on their roost with the flat roost? I have 23 chickens and my chickens very rarely poop on their roosts, I may find a pile of poop or maybe two at the most maybe once a week if that? Most their waste ends up under the roosts where I keep a good pile of saw dust on the floor to catch and soak up any liquid waste. Only place I put saw dust at, rest the coop floor is plastic laminate like what’s on many counter tops in the kitchen. Chickens will poop on the floor a little now and then, but I have a scraper I bought that’s for removing old flooring that everyday when I go to collect eggs, I just scrape whatever poop that’s on the plastic laminate on the floor over into the sawdust by the roosts that only takes a few minutes to do. Then once a week I clean out the whole coop and remove the old saw dust under the roosts and lay down clean sawdust again. The roost I made are on hinges so the roost folds up against the roof and out of the way to make cleaning behind the roosts so much easier to do! Back of my coop got 2 - four foot doors 6 ft high I open and use a snow shovel to put all the s Old sawdust right out the back of the coop into a cart I take down to my compost pile. Takes no more then 15 minutes to do a quick cleaning. Maybe every 6 months or so whenever there’s a nice hot day I’ll take my pressure washer out and wash down the floor of the coop since the flooring got the plastic laminate with waterproof plywood it’s glued to. Pressure washer makes quick work out of cleaning the floor like brand new and the pressure washer doesn’t hurt my floor at all! I’m disabled so I thought out how to make my coop as easy and fast to maintain as possible. Otherwise I wouldn’t of ever got into raising chickens! My neighbor actually just built his coop and copied mine with the same material and same basic design just smaller then mine! Neighbor like how easy it is to keep clean!

Cool

Thanks

You're welcome.

You're welcome

That is good that it has had no affect on your birds health.

You're welcome. He is certainly knowledgeable and informative.

Glad it was helpful

Glad it was helpful!

Cool. Its amazing what those nightlights will do for them. Mine don't mind the flat pieces. They can just get their toes around the edges (barely). Great that you subscribed to Pete. He is a friend of mine from Church in Houston. Have a blessed day.

@@CountryLivingExperience It's good that your chickens are comfortable :3 You have a great sunday!

I am not convinced, tha a bamboo stick is better. Chooks are not parrots. They are walkers not flyers like parrots. And just think how slippery the bamboo is! Never had poop on my wide roosting bars. You should give them a choice, then see what they prefer. I bet it is not the bamboo. Even trees have wide branches, that makes them feel safe!

We us a tree branch. Our chickens love it. Mostly from pine or fruit trees. Dad found a dead tree and cut like a xmas tree. He took off some branches and stood the trunk and branches in the center of the coop. They loved it. Mind you our coop was 16'×12' 8' and a half height making plenty of room. Nesting boxes were in the corners. 6 boxes in each corner. Along one wall we had extra roost and windows to the south. This limited the winter wind and cold coming through the windows. Any love your video I'm a new member.

You’re welcome

Cool

You're welcome. Glad it was helpful.

You’re welcome

Glad it was helpful.

Thanks

Cool

Glad it was helpful!

Cool. Just make sure those dowel rods are wide enough. I choose some huge bamboo.

Agree, good point! 😊

So how do they roost on tree branches?

@@CountryLivingExperience kind of like you can sleep on rocks but prefer a bed but main reason they need to cover there feet they loose heat thru feet and legs with no feathers on them. But it was an old vet that told me about there knees so I’ve just always believed that and seems to have worked so far good luck on all your endeavors.

Nice!

You're welcome.