[eveshamchelle]

Hi everyone.
I've had my three girls for six days now, I picked them up 4pm last tuesday and I've had three eggs every day since wednesday morning.  They seem to be happy!

But ..... they haven't been perching at night, they've just been settling down together in the coop.  Not in the egg box collection bit, but under the perch, rather than on it.  So I've left them until now, to see if they started themselves and decided tonight to put them on the perch.

So, I've just come back from the coop... One was on the perch all by herself (yey!) the other two jumped off about 5 seconds after I'd put them on.  I've only tried it the once per hen, but how long should I keep trying?  IE how many times each night and for how many nights?

I don't want to stress them out, they're gorgeous girls and I'm everso happy with them, I'm just concerned that if they don't perch that something will be wrong or go wrong etc.

Am I being a neurotic newbie and getting unecessarily worried?!  If they're happy and healthy, should I worry where they sleep?

Please advise oh fonts of all knowledge! Thanks.

[Vember]

I'd go in once it's dark dark and move them on to the perch I'll be very surprised if they jump off again then

Sarah

[mears]

sorry to gatecrash your subject i hadnt considered this an issue some nights my 4 birds pearch other times they huddle together on the floor some times a mix of the two should i be worried or leave it to there discretion ?

[Vember]

Personally I prefer mine to perch   Helps keeps their bottys clean as poop falls straight to the floor rather than sticking around in/near their feathers


Sarah

[mears]

okay thanks again will also be making this a new priority 

[chasechicken]

I wouldn't worry to much - it took ours a long time to start using the perch, and even now they still huddle in the nest box or the corner of the house.  Once, we had four hens in one box - I have no idea how!!

Are they ex-batts?  If not, maybe try raising the perch a little more if they can hop up - it might make them feel happier up there...

[Roughlee Handled]

............. even now they still huddle in the nest box or the corner of the house.  Once, we had four hens in one box - I have no idea how!!............

This is a note chasechicken
The only time I have had chickens stuffing them selves into the nest box is when they where very young 5-6 weeks old and.....
I kept coming across this every night


It was only when I cleaned out the coop at the weekend that I found red mite on the perching bars.  The poor chucks where trying to get away from the mites.
Have a look for them.  You never know.

5pence piece for scale

[chasechicken]

Thanks Stuart - I'll have another good look - if I'm honest it was more in the winter months this happened so I assumed they were cold, and I do powder the house regularly.

Red mite are horrbile little things eh!!?

[andreadon]

little biters.

the only one we have that still insists on sleeping in the nest box is Rita and she's an ex batt.  She can perch, I've seen her do it, but she won't be lifted onto the perch, so when she's removed from the nestbox she lies in her own poo in a corner.
she seems happy enough though (although she has next to no bottom feathers and i'm sure that's due to them being burnt off by the poo. 

[eveshamchelle]

Thanks everyone.
Bit of a worry to report, someone hasn't laid today.  I'm concerned I upset them last night by trying to manhandle (for want of a better term) two of them onto the perch.  They have all, always laid by lunchtime, everyday.  But not today.  Have I done my girls harm by trying to help them perch?

They were not battery hens, they are hybrid's.  One Magpie, one Speckledey, one Rhode Rock.  I got them from a local breeder.  They all seemed very happy, they're not avoiding me like the plague - no more than usual - and they all seem very happy and healthy otherwise.

[joyfull]

No need to worry, most hens have a day off from laying, 

[Roughlee Handled]

eveshamchelle a little manhandleing never hurt my birds. So do not worry.