How thick should the walls be for chickens to feel safe?

[JuliaSunshine]

• Egghead_Jr
• Jan 14, 2017

• Egghead_Jr
• Jan 14, 2017

Thank you for showing your setup. Very helpful!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

The pitch on that small coop is a bit shallow but it has large high hats (big openings) and works perfectly due to being only 4 ft wide. Slope should be 4/12 pitch and will work on wider spans.

 

[SourRoses]

For roof I covered my coop with 1/2 inch hard wire then screw a tin or poly roof with high hats (corrugated) to the "rafters". Single slant roof 4/12 pitch and exposure like this vents the coop air out very effectively. No other venting required.

That may work fine in a cool climate like Vermont, but it's not enough ventilation by far for warmer regions.

 

[SourRoses]

I have only small predators like raccoons and minks to worry about at night where I live and I wonder if chickens get stressed out when they visit the coop.
Even though chickens can't see at night, they must feel the predator's presence, like them scratching the walls trying to get in.

The only thing that really reduces their stress in those situations is being adequately high on their roosts. They want to feel like they're up in a tree.
Provided the breed is capable of flying up, roosts should be located at the highest point in the coop which still has a windbreak and ventilation above their heads. I've seen some people put their roosts less than halfway up in coops where they could be higher, I think that's not very reassuring for the birds. Also, they should all be on the same level, because no one wants to be the low bird if a predator is sniffing around.
Note: This is specifically about their feelings, not essential needs.

On the other hand, some heavy breeds have too much trouble flying up, such as my big English Orpington who can only easily get up about 3 feet. That can make it dangerous for them to fly down from higher elevations as they are too awkward.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

That may work fine in a cool climate like Vermont, but it's not enough ventilation by far for warmer regions.

True, once you get South of Tennessee and North Carolina you'd want an open air coop. Otherwise venting your roof is all you need.

 

[JuliaSunshine]

The only thing that really reduces their stress in those situations is being adequately high on their roosts. They want to feel like they're up in a tree.
Provided the breed is capable of flying up, roosts should be located at the highest point in the coop which still has a windbreak and ventilation above their heads. I've seen some people put their roosts less than halfway up in coops where they could be higher, I think that's not very reassuring for the birds. Also, they should all be on the same level, because no one wants to be the low bird if a predator is sniffing around.
Note: This is specifically about their feelings, not essential needs.

On the other hand, some heavy breeds have too much trouble flying up, such as my big English Orpington who can only easily get up about 3 feet. That can make it dangerous for them to fly down from higher elevations as they are too awkward.

I have Light Sussex which is a kind of big breed.
I wish I could have roosts high up.
In my current coop, I didn't like how heavy it felt when they jumped down from their roost 2.5 feet high so I lowered it to 1.5 feet.
Even though they have a ramp they just jump down.

 

[SourRoses]

I have Light Sussex which is a kind of big breed.
I wish I could have roosts high up.
In my current coop, I didn't like how heavy it felt when they jumped down from their roost 2.5 feet high so I lowered it to 1.5 feet.
Even though they have a ramp they just jump down.

That sounds really, really low. Not actually roosting. 3 feet is about as low as I would go, personally, and only for big birds. Thumping on the floor is not a problem as long as they had room to safely jump down. How many feet is it to the wall from the front of the roost?
I had Speckled Sussex and they were average in size and able to get up to 5ft roosts easily.

 

[JuliaSunshine]

That sounds really, really low. Not actually roosting. 3 feet is about as low as I would go, personally, and only for big birds. Thumping on the floor is not a problem as long as they had room to safely jump down. How many feet is it to the wall from the front of the roost?
I had Speckled Sussex and they were average in size and able to get up to 5ft roosts easily.

They have about 3 feet to the wall from the front of the roost.
I measured the roost again and it's actually a bit less than 2 feet high.
It used to be over 3 feet high but a couple of them looked a bit hesitant before they jumped down so I lowered it. I know they could fly up much higher. I was just worried about them being injured while landing and get bumble feet.
I might have been over worried over my first chickens. Whenever I see their feet closely they look a bit swollen and it makes me worried.

 

[NatJ]

They have about 3 feet to the wall from the front of the roost.
I measured the roost again and it's actually a bit less than 2 feet high.
It used to be over 3 feet high but a couple of them looked a bit hesitant before they jumped down so I lowered it. I know they could fly up much higher. I was just worried about them being injured while landing and get bumble feet.

Good thinking, to watch their behavior and adjust the perch

A general rule of thumb is that however high the perch is, it should be at least that far from the wall on one side. With a wall 3 feet away, your perch should not be higher than 3 feet, and lower is fine. That way they have the option of gliding down at an angle to land gently instead of jumping straight down.

I think your current perch height is probably good, given the amount of space you have and what you observed them doing.

 

[JuliaSunshine]

Good thinking, to watch their behavior and adjust the perch

A general rule of thumb is that however high the perch is, it should be at least that far from the wall on one side. With a wall 3 feet away, your perch should not be higher than 3 feet, and lower is fine. That way they have the option of gliding down at an angle to land gently instead of jumping straight down.

I think your current perch height is probably good, given the amount of space you have and what you observed them doing.

Glad to hear that. I find my chickens generally stay low even though there are lots of higher places like tree branches where they forage. It's still a bit worrisome when they jump down from a roost with a thump but them being a bit heavy is also a good thing as I need just over 2 feet high fence to keep them out or in