I made the chicks a new roost. I really made it for when they are older and roosting to sleep. Right now they still all huddle into one corner of the coop. So like human kids bouncing on the bed, this is more of just a jungle gym right now!

The roost is 24″ tall, which is what my chicken book recommended. The roosts are 18″ center to center and made of 2×3″ pine. Except the branch. I’m pretty sure that is post oak or cedar elm, because that is what is in the yard, but it fit so nicely I said they could keep it.

I cut the rabbets using a skill saw to make several parallel cuts, then removed the excess with a hammer and chisel. I did both 2×4 sides together so they would match.

I also made a channel in 1″ PVC pipe and installed these pipes under the roosts, along the sides. I have some smaller PVC pipe that slides into these channels and some canvas that will make a poop catcher. More on that in another post (mainly because it isn’t done yet)!

I used a file to open up the ends of the channels to make getting the canvas in and out easier.

The chicks are having fun jumping up on the roosts, and really like the stick better than the lumber. We’ll see if the preference continues!