Angle of perches ?

[Loving my girls]

Hi there,
I would dearly like another two hens next year and am looking at the perching space to check it is currently viable or if hubby is needed.
I currently have 120” of perching space for 8 hens which is fine. They are happy and dandy. Not too cramped in the summer.
However I have always worked on 10” per hen. This being the case, 10 hens would be okay.
Do you think should increase the perching length ?
If so, what angle of “ladder” would be okay ?
Here is what I have at the moment:

Many thanks for reading this and any advice you can offer,
Hugz

 

[DobieLover]

The roosts that you have are too close together over the board. I'm surprised they aren't pooping on the birds on the lower roost.

The ladder is in the way for getting off the roost for the birds that like to fly down from the edge of the board.

And ladders are not easy for chickens to use. Ramps with cleats work so much better. I would use the rungs of the ladder to make the cleats and find yourself a 2x10 board to attach them to to make a cleated ramp. Then attach it so it is running parallel to the wall. Prop up the bottom on a cinder block or something similar to decrease the angle.

This is what my cleated ramp looks like.

As you can see, it keeps the landing zone free.

I would also remove the blue pan you have in there or tuck it under the board. You don't want anything in the landing zone but a thick dry layer of fluffy bedding.

Some birds will always use the ramp coming and going. Others will use it either coming or going and others won't use it at all. So you need to provide a padded landing zone to keep them from injuring themselves.

Are your birds currently roosting on the same high roost or do they use the lower one too?

If you can make your board L-shaped you can spread them out a bit more.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I would ditch the roosts you currently have and make 1 long roost all the way across with a 2x4, like what Dobie has in her pic.

 

[Loving my girls]

Actually the ladder has been upgraded it has been lifted by about 12 inches also the blue feeder has been replaced with a treadle feeder which is outside. My girls seem to prefer the two layer perches than the lower ones but both levels get used. Iris my Vorwerk prefers the singles. My girls are medium sized, maximum 2.5 kg and I haven’t noticed any issues with space. The whole poop shelf is 33 inches deep.
I will return when my phone recharges lol

 

[Loving my girls]

Hi it’s me again, if I added a perch from front left to back it could only be 15 inches deep because of the door do you think that is deep enough for a perch ?
Otherwise I could add a smaller ones on the left of the current board, say 30 inches x 30 ?

 

[Loving my girls]

i will catch hubby in a good mood to change the ladder, I’ve measured up the rest and will arrange another perch from the front of the current one to the window. This will give me another 78” but only 20” deep because of the door.
Moving the ladder to the left isn’t really practical as it would block two nesting boxes but I will look into alternative angles.
As for soft flooring not sure what I can do there and can’t find any suggestions online. Bouncy Castle perhaps

 

[DobieLover]

As for soft flooring not sure what I can do there and can’t find any suggestions online.

Large flake pine shavings.

Or hemp.
Or dry leaves.
Or whatever else you have available in your area.
I would avoid hay and straw.

 

[Loving my girls]

Large flake pine shavings.
View attachment 3901554
Or hemp.
Or dry leaves.
Or whatever else you have available in your area.
I would avoid hay and straw.

This may sound a bit … poofy … but what about an old padded sun bed mattress attached to the floor by hooks ?
I’m trying to avoid floor based shavings, sand and stuff coz I’ve found walking in and out messy. Also I like to clean the floor every couple of days in the summer. I know ! I can hear that sharp intake of breath but it’s my sanctuary and I spend a lot of time there.