It is natural behaviour for chickens to roost, this guide explains all about how to create a safe and secure place for domestic chickens to exhibit this natural behaviour by creating a roost for them.
What is roosting? And what is a roost?
Chickens roost because it is instinctive, it is part of their natural behaviour. Roosting is the act of perching or settling down in a high, elevated position, typically during the night.
In the wild a roost is a tree branch that the chickens settle down on for the night.
In a domestic setting the roosting bar or platform is our recreated high up branch within the chicken house. Providing a suitable roosting area is an essential aspect of chicken husbandry, as it helps keep them safe, comfortable, and healthy.
Why do chickens roost?
- Safety from Predators: In the wild, chickens are naturally prey animals. Roosting in elevated positions helps them avoid ground predators that are more active at night. Being off the ground makes it more difficult for predators to reach them.
- Temperature Regulation: Roosting allows chickens to huddle together, which helps them conserve body heat during colder nights. By perching, they reduce the amount of body surface in contact with the cold ground.
- Social Behaviour: Chickens are social animals, and roosting together promotes a sense of security and social bonding within the flock. They have a pecking order, and the higher-ranking birds will choose higher roosting spots.
- Comfort and Rest: Chickens prefer to roost as it provides a comfortable and safe place for them to rest and sleep. Elevated perches mimic the natural environment where they would find secure spots for sleeping.
What should a chicken roost be made from?
In the wild chickens would use a tree branch. So wood is generally the best. It can be round or square.
Be careful of unfinished or rough wood which can cause cuts or damage to the chickens. BUT don’t make it too smooth, the roost does need to provide grip to the chickens when roosting.
What should a chicken roost NOT be made from?
Metal is too cold for a roost, roosting chickens are trying to stay off the cold ground. A metal roost could freeze in the winter. Metal is also too smooth and slippery.
Plastic is too smooth and slippery, the chickens use their feet to hold themselves in position whilst they roost. On plastic and metal they will slide, which means that they will not be able to sleep so well. Plastic can also come with sharp pointy edges
How much space do chickens need to roost?
We have allowed 30cm (12”) per bird and have noticed that this is adequate. In the summer the chickens space out a little bit. In the winter they huddle closer together to keep warm.
What are common problems with chicken roosts?
Dirt
Chicken roosts get dirty. Chickens poo throughout the night. Most poo ends up on the floor below the roost, but it also ends up on the roost. A regular scrape when the coop is being cleaned is enough to keep on top of this.
Pecking order
When designing the roost space, remember the pecking order, ensure that there is enough space for all of the chickens. We provide slightly higher and slightly lower roost bars.
The higher up the pecking order the higher the chickens will roost. But it is important that the lower order chickens don’t get shoved onto the floor. Lower roost bars stop this from happening.
Heat
Hot air rises, and gathers at the top of the chicken house. This is great in the winter, especially if the roost bars are high up in the chicken house. The chickens will benefit.
However this hot air can be a problem during summer heat waves, as the top of the chicken house could become too hot. To combat this problem make sure that there is ventilation at the top of the chicken house in the summer.
How wide should the roosting bar be?
It is important that chickens can get their feet onto the roosting bar, grip on and be comfortable. In the wild they would typically roost on a branch that is 3 – 5 cm (1 – 2”) wide, this is the ideal for the chicken house.
Do chickens prefer square or round roosts?
Generally they do not have a preference. Like with everything, observing their behaviour with both square and round could give you an insight into whether or not YOUR chickens have a preference.
How far apart should chicken roosts be?
The space between roosting bars should be around 45cm (18”). This will allow the chickens to benefit from shared body heat in winter, whilst still giving them space to spread out in the summer.
Do chickens need a ladder to get to the roost?
Chickens can fly up and down to their roosts. But it is still a good idea to provide some means of climbing up and down:
- To ensure that they don’t break or damage their legs or wings
- Flying space within the coop may be limited
- The height required of them may be too big for smaller birds
Don’t forget that it can also be possible to raise the chicken house, with ladder access, and then have a lower roost.
Why are my chickens roosting in their nesting box?
If there isn’t enough roosting space, the chickens might start roosting in their nest boxes. Whilst this isn’t a problem in itself, it just means that the nest box gets a lot of poo in it and then the eggs get dirty.
Another reason this might happen is if the roosting bars are lower than the nesting box. Remember chickens are always going to try and find the highest space as this will feel safest.
What is your experience with creating roosting space for your chickens? Do you have one roosting bar or more? I would love to hear in the comments below.