Now that we finally own a house and some land, we are able to get chickens! We've been talking about backyard chickens for over a decade, so it's a very exciting time for us. 3 weeks ago we brought home 5 two day old chicks and they grow fast.

I've been doing non-stop research about coops, runs, health, care, entertainment and whatnot. To keep the chicks from getting bored (boredom can lead to pecking) I decided now would be a good time to give them a training roost. Especially as now their feet are starting to grip when we play with them and they're jumping out of their brooder the first chance they get.

I used all materials I already had and didn't worry so much about it being pretty/nice to look at as I wanted functional, and I don't expect to be able to use this roost for more than a few weeks. If we do chicks again, it won't be for a few years and I can easily remake the roost.

I'll also add more pictures of the chicks on the roost when my husband is home to help me wrangle them :)

Supplies

Corrugated cardboard

dowels or pvc pipe

Self-adhesive medical wrap

Knife/scissors

Step 1: Corrugated Cardboard

I got a couple corrugated cardboard signs from my MiL a few months ago, I originally used them for making covers for student art journals. These are some pieces that were leftover/are being repurposed for this project.

The cardboard I left in a rectangular/squarish shape and trimmed down so it would fit comfortably in the brooder without taking up too. much space. I used a pair of scissors to poke the holes for the bars. Two on the bottom, one higher up and in the middle.

Step 2: Roost Bars

I ended up using old wood perches from my other birds to create the roost bars. I cut them in even lengths and was able to make 3 bars from one perch. If I was doing this with mixed sized bars, I'd put the thicker ones on the bottom.

Step 3: Assembly

I stuck the bars through each side of the cardboard and ended up putting a little duct tape where the bars poked out just to prevent any injuries. I had my hot glue ready in case the holes I made were too big for the perch, but I made the holes just big enough.

The vet tape I wrap around the bars partially for helping the chicks with their grip, partially for cleanliness purposes (it's easier to take the vet wrap off than it is to clean the wood), and partially for more color.

Step 4: Test

The chicks are definitely interested in the whole thing, I think new things coming into their brooder gives them something to check out. The roost was short enough that the screen we use to keep the chicks from jumping out and running amok is a good 8" above the roost, so this little contraption should work decently enough for the next few weeks.