Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
thecitychicken

Up high instead of in safe.

thecitychicken
15 years ago

Most of you are probably family with how chicken like to go up as high as they can to roost at night. Mine do; but their high roost isn't in the enclosed coop part; it's out in the run part, right up under the roof. Which would be more in the wind or blowing rain than if they roosted inside the house part.

Should I care?

We live in Yacolt, WA (near Portland, OR). Usually gets down into the 20's at night in the winter here; not that cold for chickens.

Comments (11)

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    Are they safe from predators up there? I would worry more about racoons than weather.

  • shebear
    15 years ago

    You know I've been reading on here for a while and I wondered why most people don't make high roosts. Grandpa had both high and low in the hen house. Chickens used both. Seems to me they would want a high roost to make it harder for any predator. And when I say high I mean over 6 feet. More like 8.

  • velvet_sparrow
    15 years ago

    Like runningtrails says, if they are safe from predators up there, and won't injure themselves getting up and down, they should be OK. Drafts are more of a concern than temps, as long as the temps are moderate.

    If it's too drafty, try and place a windbreak for them.

    Velvet ~:>

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    Mine have a really high roost at the ceiling, but I have not seen any up there. They would be very safe up there, but not with a ladder which coons could also climb. I have seen one hen try for it and not make it. It is directly above the other roost and they will poop on the ones below, so I have not encouraged it. Should I make them a ladder? It would give them someething interesting to play with while shut up on a cold winter day.

  • seramas
    15 years ago

    High perches are good, but only if they can fly up to them. That way if the fly down it won't be like a falling rock. Some breeds are just too big to roost up high because you will always have a few birds that will jump (or fly) down. They can injure legs and hips so easily by hitting the ground harder than they should--some will even injure their breast bones.

    These pictures are of some Phoenix hens and roos roosting on the bars used for hanging baskets in the greenhouse. They are 8'6" high.
    {{gwi:36718}}

    {{gwi:36719}}

    {{gwi:36720}}

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    Those are beautiful birds! Love the long tail feathers!
    Thaat's about the height of the ceiling roost in my hen house. Maybe my gals are just too heavy to getup there, and that's ok with me. I wouldn't want them to get hurt getting down.

    If I had a greenhouse, I'd keep birds in it too. Great idea!

  • seramas
    15 years ago

    The greenhouse is 12'W x 12'H x 50'L. As soon as I get over a painful fall injury I'll take pictures of how it is built & add a written narration on the how's.

    Without the LP 80,000btu furnace ($800 installed) the greenhouse only cost about $400.

  • msjay2u
    15 years ago

    ironic you talk about protecting the birds from falling and you fell!

    Hope you are okay!!

  • brendan_of_bonsai
    15 years ago

    I'm sorry to hear about your fall Seramas.

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    I do hope you get better soon!
    That's a good price for a greenhouse that big. Let us know when you get it the narrative done. I'd love to read it.

  • runningtrails
    15 years ago

    I do hope you get better soon!
    That's a good price for a greenhouse that big. Let us know when you get it the narrative done. I'd love to read it.