Outta Here
Songster
- May 17, 2021
- 462
- 1,673
- 186
I know roost width seems to be a controversial topic, and I don't have the final answer for everyone, just a few thoughts to throw into the mix. I've read all the commercial tests but decided to investigate with my own flock. Some say chickens don't care, but our chickens have no choice of roost except what we provide, so they adjust even if our roosts are not optimal for their comfort or health. Who knows whether we are causing foot or keel or leg problems with the wrong size roost?
I spent a lot of time over the past week watching chicken feet as they settle down to roost on various widths. I've even felt gently under them to see what positions their toes are in! Also, which toe position do they seem to prefer for overnight roosting? Over the past few days, I have substituted their roost with ones of various width, painted the same color. They accepted them all, except one, which half of them rejected. I live in Arizona, so cold feet will never be an issue.
My flock has been roosting on a 2x4 I ripped to measure exactly 2.5" wide on the flat side because I read somewhere that's the ideal width. It is completely strong enough to span 8'--does not bow at all with 1 huge rooster and 13 four- month-old pullets. They have access to a shelf in front of the elevated next boxes, also.
Note: All lumber is 1/2" smaller than its designation: 2x4 is actually 1.5"x3.5"
MY ROOST TEST RESULTS:
1. When my pullets and rooster settle on the 2.5" roost, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"- 1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are not gripping/perching. They can balance and walk along the roost easily. Their keel comes in contact and about half of their leg. I wondered whether the edge (yes, it's rounded) puts pressure on this halfway point of their leg? Do they all roost on this size, showing their approval? Yes.
2. When they settle on a shelf, their tails can't hang down and their toes can't protrude over the edge. They nap on my lawn furniture cushions, but for night roosting, my flock rejects the shelf. They only resorted to it when I introduced the roost width half of them refused--2x4 on edge.
2. When they settle on a 2x4 on edge, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"- 1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are still not gripping/perching. Balance walking along the roost is a bit more difficult. The pressure point on both the keel and midpoint of the leg is more acute. Do they all roost on this size, showing their approval? No, half of my flock refused it and settled on a shelf instead.
3. When they fly from their roost in the morning to greet me by perching on the 1/2" edge of a wall of plywood, their feet are very tightly curled, with the back toe facing backward, gripping. They are truly perching. Balance is very difficult, pressure point on keel is extreme. Do they like to stay there? Not for long.
5. When they settle on a 2x4 flat side up, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"-1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are not gripping/perching. They can balance and walk along the roost easily. Pressure points on keel and leg is evenly distributed, except there is a pressure point on the larger rooster's legs. Do they all roost on this size, showing their approval? Yes.
6. When they settle on tree branches about 4"-6" diameter, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"- 1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are not gripping/perching. Their keel contacts the branch, but much of their leg does not because of the roundness. They can walk along the branch easily. They seem to enjoy this roost. I wondered whether the roundness beneficially allows their legs to hang slightly downward? This is probably the most natural roost...
7. When they settle on the 2x6 flat side up, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"-1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are not gripping/perching. They can balance and walk along the roost very easily. Their entire body is supported, with no pressure points on keel or legs, even the large rooster's. Do they all roost on this size, showing their approval? Yes. I believe they like this one the best, because of the comfort and because they can more easily crawl/hop over each other for the favored places along the roost. This is the one I will keep.
CONCLUSION:
So my personal observations on my little test is that chickens are very able to grip and perch tightly on very small diameter branches or dowels, but they are also able to walk and sleep flat-footed. This was true of their slim, high-flying ancestors, too. Their feet are amazing in their agility to mold to the contour of whatever size they must walk along or sleep on. But because they have this agility, does that mean they "need" or want to sleep perching like a parakeet? To achieve that, the roost or branch must be extremely narrow. Anything wider than 1" and they sleep flat-footed, back toe facing forward, front toes slightly over the edge. Do they choose a narrow perch freely? Are they actually "perchers" for nighttime sleeping? In the daytime, for a bit, sometimes. At night? No.
So my conclusion is that a wider roost (4"-6") makes balance easier, distributes weight and pressure points and is my flock's roost of choice. Someday I will try a 4"-6" branch if I can find an 8' long one! I have a feeling that might be perfection.
I spent a lot of time over the past week watching chicken feet as they settle down to roost on various widths. I've even felt gently under them to see what positions their toes are in! Also, which toe position do they seem to prefer for overnight roosting? Over the past few days, I have substituted their roost with ones of various width, painted the same color. They accepted them all, except one, which half of them rejected. I live in Arizona, so cold feet will never be an issue.
My flock has been roosting on a 2x4 I ripped to measure exactly 2.5" wide on the flat side because I read somewhere that's the ideal width. It is completely strong enough to span 8'--does not bow at all with 1 huge rooster and 13 four- month-old pullets. They have access to a shelf in front of the elevated next boxes, also.
Note: All lumber is 1/2" smaller than its designation: 2x4 is actually 1.5"x3.5"
MY ROOST TEST RESULTS:
1. When my pullets and rooster settle on the 2.5" roost, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"- 1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are not gripping/perching. They can balance and walk along the roost easily. Their keel comes in contact and about half of their leg. I wondered whether the edge (yes, it's rounded) puts pressure on this halfway point of their leg? Do they all roost on this size, showing their approval? Yes.
2. When they settle on a shelf, their tails can't hang down and their toes can't protrude over the edge. They nap on my lawn furniture cushions, but for night roosting, my flock rejects the shelf. They only resorted to it when I introduced the roost width half of them refused--2x4 on edge.
2. When they settle on a 2x4 on edge, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"- 1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are still not gripping/perching. Balance walking along the roost is a bit more difficult. The pressure point on both the keel and midpoint of the leg is more acute. Do they all roost on this size, showing their approval? No, half of my flock refused it and settled on a shelf instead.
3. When they fly from their roost in the morning to greet me by perching on the 1/2" edge of a wall of plywood, their feet are very tightly curled, with the back toe facing backward, gripping. They are truly perching. Balance is very difficult, pressure point on keel is extreme. Do they like to stay there? Not for long.
5. When they settle on a 2x4 flat side up, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"-1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are not gripping/perching. They can balance and walk along the roost easily. Pressure points on keel and leg is evenly distributed, except there is a pressure point on the larger rooster's legs. Do they all roost on this size, showing their approval? Yes.
6. When they settle on tree branches about 4"-6" diameter, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"- 1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are not gripping/perching. Their keel contacts the branch, but much of their leg does not because of the roundness. They can walk along the branch easily. They seem to enjoy this roost. I wondered whether the roundness beneficially allows their legs to hang slightly downward? This is probably the most natural roost...
7. When they settle on the 2x6 flat side up, they tuck, sometime cross, their feet cozily with about 1/4"-1/2" of their toes over the front edge. Their back toes are tucked facing forward. They are not gripping/perching. They can balance and walk along the roost very easily. Their entire body is supported, with no pressure points on keel or legs, even the large rooster's. Do they all roost on this size, showing their approval? Yes. I believe they like this one the best, because of the comfort and because they can more easily crawl/hop over each other for the favored places along the roost. This is the one I will keep.
CONCLUSION:
So my personal observations on my little test is that chickens are very able to grip and perch tightly on very small diameter branches or dowels, but they are also able to walk and sleep flat-footed. This was true of their slim, high-flying ancestors, too. Their feet are amazing in their agility to mold to the contour of whatever size they must walk along or sleep on. But because they have this agility, does that mean they "need" or want to sleep perching like a parakeet? To achieve that, the roost or branch must be extremely narrow. Anything wider than 1" and they sleep flat-footed, back toe facing forward, front toes slightly over the edge. Do they choose a narrow perch freely? Are they actually "perchers" for nighttime sleeping? In the daytime, for a bit, sometimes. At night? No.
So my conclusion is that a wider roost (4"-6") makes balance easier, distributes weight and pressure points and is my flock's roost of choice. Someday I will try a 4"-6" branch if I can find an 8' long one! I have a feeling that might be perfection.
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Great experiment. I would be cautious of any "official" recommendations listing a very specific size. Like what you said you read about 2.5" being the "ideal" width. Ideal for what? Chickens vary tremendously in size between breeds, and between ages of the same breed. What might be ideal for one bird might be too narrow for another. So there's a lot of leeway there. Seems like the bigger the better, as long as their butts can still hang over the edge, so they don't sit in their poop at night (probably why they don't like the shelf). If you can go bigger, why go smaller, would be a good general guideline. I usually take a walk through the woods when I'm looking for a good, thick, long roost. Lots of fallen limbs to choose from. A couple of years ago I found a great 6' branch that's about 4" in diameter, and have been using that. The chickens are happy.
