When you think of building a coop for your chickens at home, always keep in mind that you also have to install with it roosts for your birds to sleep on at night. It is not their thing to sleep on nesting boxes or anywhere at low level; they prefer to be on high platforms such as roosts, where they can crowd together at night.
This kind of mechanism of you flock is because of how they act on security. Chickens consider a high place to be a safe place to stay, somewhere higher than ground level. They feel secured because predators will have a hard time getting on them. These birds usually sleep on tree branches and if in a coop, a roost is such a help for them because of the security that they feel.
Birds consider safety to be very important; no wonder they choose to stay at higher platforms for sleeping. When you construct coops, roosts are to be built separately from nesting boxes. Don't place nesting areas higher than they are suppose to be; this will give your hens the idea that these boxes are also for sleeping. These birds defecate during sleep, so if they do sleep on nesting boxes, imagine the eggs and droppings all muddled up together. Adding to this, try building roosts in a uniform level.
Building multi-leveled roosts will most likely cause your flock to fight, trying to get the highest roosts there is. And if not, those sleeping on the lower levels will become messy as droppings will constantly fall on them every night. Have the cross design of your roosts; this will maximize the area of each bird in your coop. You can also build a roosting space of about 9-10 inches for each bird; lesser space will be jam-packed.
When constructing roost, the method should be consistent. You may use wood but it will be all up to you to choose. Just make sure that your roosts can carry the weight of your flock. Planks are great but round the edge so they can grip well during sleep. For wood, smooth the surface to avoid splinters.
Maintain cleanliness in coops by placing cleanable surface below roosts, and disposable boxes placed under nesting boxes. Avoid installing coops right above nesting boxes. These useful tips will help keep the whole area, especially nesting spots clean and tidy as much as possible.
This kind of mechanism of you flock is because of how they act on security. Chickens consider a high place to be a safe place to stay, somewhere higher than ground level. They feel secured because predators will have a hard time getting on them. These birds usually sleep on tree branches and if in a coop, a roost is such a help for them because of the security that they feel.
Birds consider safety to be very important; no wonder they choose to stay at higher platforms for sleeping. When you construct coops, roosts are to be built separately from nesting boxes. Don't place nesting areas higher than they are suppose to be; this will give your hens the idea that these boxes are also for sleeping. These birds defecate during sleep, so if they do sleep on nesting boxes, imagine the eggs and droppings all muddled up together. Adding to this, try building roosts in a uniform level.
Building multi-leveled roosts will most likely cause your flock to fight, trying to get the highest roosts there is. And if not, those sleeping on the lower levels will become messy as droppings will constantly fall on them every night. Have the cross design of your roosts; this will maximize the area of each bird in your coop. You can also build a roosting space of about 9-10 inches for each bird; lesser space will be jam-packed.
When constructing roost, the method should be consistent. You may use wood but it will be all up to you to choose. Just make sure that your roosts can carry the weight of your flock. Planks are great but round the edge so they can grip well during sleep. For wood, smooth the surface to avoid splinters.
Maintain cleanliness in coops by placing cleanable surface below roosts, and disposable boxes placed under nesting boxes. Avoid installing coops right above nesting boxes. These useful tips will help keep the whole area, especially nesting spots clean and tidy as much as possible.
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