Advised to not use 2x4s for Roosts...

[lindseyawest]

Everyone has a different answer of what they use for roosts, but a common response I've seen is to use something like a 2x4 because chickens don't like to curl their toes - they sit on their feet when they sleep. Today I heard a couple experienced chickeners saying they use PVC pipe for roosts so the hens have to curl their toes a little, otherwise they are more likely to get bumblefoot. Anyone else heard this?

 

[Toddrick]

Never heard that, but I'd think a round roost, especially a slippery plastic one, would not be as steady/comfortable. My coop has 2x2 roosts, and I've never had any issues.

 

[appps]

Haven't heard that but my chickens love to roost on a low horizontal circular branch in one of my trees during the day but sleep on a flat roost at night. So my experience is they don't particularly mind flat or round.

How it affects their bumble foot chances I'm not sure. If you were say to do a handstand on a round pole you would feel pressure in one spot on your hand. If you did it on a plank your weight would be more spread over the whole palm. I would think the same would apply to a chickens foot while roosting. If bumble foot is anything like corns in humans ( as in pressure or rubbing related) I would have though spreading the weight over a flat surface would have actually been the better of the two not the other way round.

 

[Cacique500]

We're in the process of rebuilding and this time I'm going with a 2x4, with the 4" side up for them to roost on. We currently have a 2x2 and I don't think they like it. I would definitely NOT go with PVC as it would be too slippery.

In the new run I'm going to have some various sized and shaped perches of different diameters and different materials as well.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Personally I would not use PVC. It’s too slick plus I’d have some concerns it might be too cold in the winter. Wood is a good insulating material. It will not drain heat away from their feet. I much prefer wood over anything else.

Bumblefoot is not corns, it’s an infection. They can get bumblefoot by cutting their feet on glass, sharp rocks, something like that. Also a splinter or briar thorn can cause it. I would not worry about them getting bumblefoot because of pressure from what they are sleeping on. If you use a sawn board (2x2 or 2x4) as a roost I’d sand off the corners. Round them off, partly to make it easier on them when they curl their toes around it but mostly to remove splinters.

You can get some pretty hot arguments on here as to whether the narrow or wide side of a 2x4 is best. Both have their proponents. Some even claim that a chicken cannot curl its toes and sleeps with its feet flat. They’ve obviously never seen a chicken perch on something small. If you balance a chick on your finger you can see what they do with their toes. Others are equally adamant that round is the way to go. They feel chickens evolved to sleep in trees so they naturally do best on round perches. I remember one poster that was sure chickens were actually round-dwelling birds and did not sleep in trees at all. You can get some really good arguments going on here on this subject.

Many people are convinced that you absolutely have to have a flat surface in the winter so they can squat down and cover their feet with their feathers to stop frostbite. The coldest I’ve seen chickens sleep in trees or on my tree limb roosts is about 10 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. When they squat down and fluff up their feathers to keep themselves warm their feet disappear in those fluffed up feathers. I’ve never seen a problem with frostbite on their feet, combs or wattles either for that matter. If I lived where it was a lot colder I might feel differently but I’ve never seen a need for a flat surface for them to sleep on. I also have “regular” chickens. It’s possible with certain chickens with weird feathers it would make a difference.

My main roosts are tree limbs, one end fairly small, maybe 1-1/2” diameter but the other end is quite a bit bigger. I have another roost mainly for juveniles when I’m integrating that is a 2x4 with the narrow side up. To test out the theory that they prefer the flat side of a 2x4 I put a 2x4 with my main roosts to see what they prefer. From what I’ve seen, people worry about this a lot more than my chickens do.

I do recommend you use wood, not PVC and especially not metal. Whether you go flat side, narrow side, or round you will please some people and horrify others. From what I’ve seen with mine your chickens won’t care. Just round off the corners.

 

[vsmenagerie]

If you did want to use PVC, I would get a larger diameter and paint it with sandy paint, so its not slick anymore. I am currently going using 2x2s in my coop but will probably add a 2x4 and see which they prefer. Im in MT though, so winter can get cold and Id like them to be able to keep their feet warm easily.

 

[new user]

My hens, thats all they roost on is an old bench that is made out of 2x4s. Heck I caught them yesterday roosting on the handles of my tiller which is round. I looked at getting some table legs and repurpose them for roost.


But PVC for roosting, I wouldn't do it for the reasons mentioned above

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Personally I would not use PVC. It’s too slick plus I’d have some concerns it might be too cold in the winter. Wood is a good insulating material. It will not drain heat away from their feet. I much prefer wood over anything else.

Bumblefoot is not corns, it’s an infection. They can get bumblefoot by cutting their feet on glass, sharp rocks, something like that. Also a splinter or briar thorn can cause it. I would not worry about them getting bumblefoot because of pressure from what they are sleeping on. If you use a sawn board (2x2 or 2x4) as a roost I’d sand off the corners. Round them off, partly to make it easier on them when they curl their toes around it but mostly to remove splinters.

From what I’ve seen, people worry about this a lot more than my chickens do.

I do recommend you use wood, not PVC and especially not metal. Whether you go flat side, narrow side, or round you will please some people and horrify others. From what I’ve seen with mine your chickens won’t care. Just round off the corners.

X 2 on all points and doubly on the bolded.

 

[lindseyawest]

This is my current roosting situation - 2x4s, 4 side up. The brackets are there so I can take all of the roosts out for cleaning. They seem to have finally found the roosts last night and used them just fine so I'll keep them for now unless it seems like they don't like them. I sanded and tried to round the corners at least a little.

 

[Chickenshoe]

PVC for plumbing only... roost bar.. I built 2x3 bench system at 45 deg angle to floor... got 13 birds... enough room for sure as they all sit next to each other on top tier... under tiered roost bars is chicken wire and poop board that I pull out from outside, (ie- slot cut out), that's covered with linoleum, quick and clean scrape and good to slide back in..