Arrangement of a chicken coop is a delicate process, since to make perches for chickens, you need to place the drinkers correctly. Before starting the arrangement, it is necessary to take into account the needs of the birds. Perches and nests are essential chicken coop elements. The main thing is to choose the type of construction. Each has a number of features. Before production, it is recommended to make a drawing. Let’s consider in detail how to make perches for chickens.
Why do chickens have nests and perches
The perch is the simplest wooden structure for comfortable accommodation of poultry at night. They are made of round slats – from tools, polished bars, tree branches, poles. They are fixed at a certain height, and are necessary for chickens to have a full rest.
Resting laying hens on the floor increases the risk of fungi and infections. Pathogens often live in sawdust lying on the floor.
Nests for chickens are needed for laying and subsequent hatching of eggs. Hens lay eggs only in darkened places protected from wind and moisture. Before production, a sketch is drawn up according to the sizes of representatives of the breed. Ready-made structures are installed where the laying hen will not be distracted by other individuals. It is enough to install 3-4 nests on a small chicken coop.
What should be perches
In winter, the birds warm themselves by snuggling up to each other, choosing their places on the crossbar, and in the summer they stay at a distance. One laying hen needs 20-25 cm of free space. If the space inside the building allows, it is better to increase the length of the crossbars. This will eliminate fights.
When manufacturing, the location of the fingers on the paws is taken into account – with them, the birds hold on to the poles, leaving one back. It is not recommended to use thin or thick poles to arrange a perch for laying hens. The ideal option is a diameter of 50×50 or 40×60 mm. Poles should have rounded edges and clean faces. Otherwise, laying hens will damage their paws.
Types of constructions
Before making a perch for laying hens, it is necessary to choose the design of the future structure. At the same time, the dimensions of the chicken coop, the number of heads, and the convenience of location are taken into account. Classification by structure:
- single-tiered;
- multi-tiered;
- over nests;
- angular;
- portable
All birds must be housed freely. When moving, chickens should not disturb other people. If it is crowded, strong and healthy chickens will throw weak ones off the poles.
One-tier seat
It is installed along the walls inside the building. To the crossbar from the floor – no more than 600 mm. The pole is securely fixed so that it does not shift or slip. The seat is attached to the supports between the opposite sides of the structure, fixed in the supports with the selected groove.
Pallets are mounted under the poles. It is undesirable to equip the structure with a ladder – birds need physical exercise.
With several tiers
They allow you to save space inside the chicken coop. The bars are placed in several rows. There should be a distance of at least 500 mm between the crossbars. The tiers are placed as steps so that the chickens that have taken the places on top do not dirty those sitting below. The lower seat is installed at a height of 400 mm from the floor. The upper one is mounted at the same distance from the ceiling.
Not the best option for large livestock. Laying hens tend to climb onto perches located at the very top. As a result, fights between chickens may occur.
Above the nests
They are installed on the wall located opposite the door opening. Nests are arranged below. 300 mm recedes from them upwards and the seat is installed. Poles in combination with nests are compact, save space inside the building. A pallet made of corrosion-resistant metal is installed on the roof of the nest. Such designs keep them clean.
Cleaning of pallets should be carried out several times a week, because the emptying will gradually start to contaminate the places for laying.
Corner seat
It is ideal for arranging small chicken coops. When making such structures, the poles are placed in one or several levels. The ends of the crossbars are fixed on the adjacent walls. You can make a corner perch for chickens with your own hands.
The disadvantage is the difficulty of assembly, especially if the design involves the presence of more than 2 levels. For convenience, the poles are fixed in such a way that they can be easily removed.
Portable design
The design looks like a table equipped with a tin tray. It is used for keeping livestock in temporary housing. In the assembly process, the width of the door opening is taken into account – the assembled structure must pass through it.
Manufacturing technology
Tools are prepared in advance, since it is impossible to make perches for chickens without the most necessary:
- bars;
- ripping saw;
- sander (can be replaced with sandpaper);
- plane;
- metal products;
- screwdriver;
- level.
Hardwood species, for example, birch, are used for production. Such poles are difficult to bend. They do not emit resin. If coniferous species are used, the cross-section of the bursa is 60×40 mm. At the same time, the side of 60 mm is placed in the vertical direction, because the birds rest and sleep on the poles. Therefore, structures should be comfortable for chickens.
Drawings and dimensions
Everyone could do it for the chickens. The first step is to draw up a drawing. All dimensions of the building are indicated on the plan. The table shows average statistical data that will help to make a correct sketch of the future seat.
| Distance | Small chickens | Medium chickens | Big chickens |
| To the floor (mm) | 600-800 | 700-900 | 800-1100 |
| To the wall (mm) | 250-350 | 350-450 | 450-550 |
| Vertically between tiers (mm) | 300-350 | 400-450 | 450-500 |
| Horizontally between tiers (mm) | 350-400 | 400-500 | 500-550 |
| To pallet (mm) | 350-450 | 400-500 | 500-600 |
The plan shows nests, containers for eggs, feed outlets, window and door openings. Passages must be left at least 60 cm wide. This will allow cleaning, collecting masonry, pouring water and laying out feed without difficulty.
Drawing of a chicken coop with a perch:
Where to install
The location of the perches for chickens in the chicken coop plays a special role. It is recommended to mount in the far corner of the building. In such places, laying hens behave calmly and are not disturbed. There should be no windows or entrance doors in this area to avoid drafts. It is not recommended to mount perches for sleeping over containers for chicken feed.
Assembly of the seat
Prepared beams are sawn according to the dimensions specified in the plan. The edges are rounded. The transom is processed with sandpaper or special equipment – a grinding machine. Conifer poles can be burned. This will stop the release of drops of resin, prevent the beginning of rotting.
Supports for crossbars with planed grooves are fixed on the walls. The grooves should be wider than the crossbars by 2 mm – the poles will enter them without difficulty and will not scroll.
The supports are attached with self-tapping screws to wood, concrete or block surfaces with dowels.
When installing supports, it is recommended to use a level. Perches in the chicken coop must be made strictly horizontally, installed on supports and checked for deflection. If the pole bends, additional supports are mounted.
Removable metal litter trays
This is a device for maintaining cleanliness in chicken coops. Their use will exclude diseases of birds with infections and contamination by parasites.
Litter pallets are made of lightweight, practical, non-corrosive material. The ideal option is galvanized roofing metal. The dimensions of the structures must correspond to the parameters of the seat.
The width of the pallets does not exceed 60 cm – this will allow them not to bend and maintain rigidity. The height of the sides is 6-8 cm, they must be strictly vertical on three sides. The edge adjacent to the back wall is made at an angle – for easy removal of the old bedding.
How to properly make a pallet
The whole process boils down to several actions:
- A drawing is made, indicating the exact dimensions of the pallet. In the diagram, it is a rectangle with right angles. On all sides of the figure, 8-10 cm is added to the sides.
- A sheet of galvanized metal is marked with a construction marker. This will allow you to cut the workpiece without further trimming.
- Cuts are made with a Bulgarian along the marked lines. You can use a jigsaw. The main thing is to install a metal cutting saw on the tool.
- The edges are bent. A cut bar is attached to the specified line. With the help of precise blows of the hammer, the metal is bent. For convenience, the front edge is bent around a beam with a section of 20 x 40 mm.
The edges of the tray are cleaned with a grinder equipped with a disc for grinding metal. The treatment will protect the chickens from injury.
It is recommended to cover the pallets with sawdust. If moisture has accumulated or an unpleasant smell has appeared, sawdust is mixed with lime and the litter on the pallets is replaced. Lime is added for disinfection.
What kind of pallets are there?
Installed under multi-level or mobile structures. By design, the devices differ from each other:
- To place the pallet under multi-level constructions at a height of up to 400 mm from the floor, two parallel beams are mounted. Plywood or tin is laid on top of them. They are not fixed with nails – so it is easier to remove. The sheets rest against the back wall, and the front part protrudes beyond the support by 200 mm.
- If the structure is portable, the pallet is mounted on the crate. Beams are installed at the corners of the structure. Crossbars are placed in two rows along the perimeter in a horizontal direction. In the upper bars, recesses for the poles are selected. A pallet is fixed under the crossbars. If there is a multi-level seat, the crossbars must be mounted at an angle of 45-60˚.
Helpful tips
Unforeseen situations are not excluded after the seat is installed. Sometimes laying hens ignore the bars and rest on the litter. The main reason is that the dimensions of the crossbars are not observed or the wood is treated incorrectly. Deficiencies must be eliminated.
If all the requirements were met during production, and the laying hens refuse to sit in the henhouse, they can be trained to sleep in the designated place. The principle is to develop a habit in birds. Every evening it is necessary to plant the hen on the perches. After a few weeks, the chickens will begin to climb the bars themselves.