[flangey]

Hello, I've just added three new girls to my flock (had my first six girls for 9 months), all is well, a bit of squabbling as expected, but at night when they all go to bed, the neweys wont get on the perches and sleep in the corner of the house.  Someone told me you had to put them on the perch to train them to use it, which I have done a couple of times, but they literally stay where I place them and I wonder if they're comfortable or not!? I know I sound daft and my OH keeps telling me not to fret, but I do worry

[Vember]

Hi Flangey

Yes keep popping them on the perches, they'll be fine and they should get the hang of it soon


Sarah

[Arnfields]

I wouldn't worry too much, ours all squished into the nest box for the first few weeks but when I cleaned them out theis morning there was a distinct poop pile in a neat line by one of the perches.  They are getting the hang of it slowly and if they prefer to sleep all squished up - well what the heck.  Am sure they will spread out a bit more next summer 

[themagicaltoad1]

I went through a battle of wills with mine. I'd lift them out of the nesting boxes onto the perches, shut the door, 2 minutes later I'd look and they'd be back in the boxes, I've spent an hour a night doing this over several nights but 2 out of 3 still sleep in the box. I gave up in the end and with the cold weather coming they'll probably be warmer in the boxes.

[Bigblacktaximan]

I went through a battle of wills with mine. I'd lift them out of the nesting boxes onto the perches, shut the door, 2 minutes later I'd look and they'd be back in the boxes, I've spent an hour a night doing this over several nights but 2 out of 3 still sleep in the box. I gave up in the end and with the cold weather coming they'll probably be warmer in the boxes.

I've found that some of my girls sleep in the nest box rather than perch on the perches, this leads to the straw in the boxes being soiled repeatedly 

I've made up two plywood dividers and some runners, when going to bed them down I drop the dividers into the runners thereby closing off access to the nest boxes overnight    result fewer soiled nestboxes. 

[SMD66]

you could either

a) keep putting them on perches, or,

b) block off the nest boxes late afternoon after any layers have layed, then, once they are all in and asleep quietly go in and open the nest boxes again ready for them to lay in the morning.

If you don't do anything they will always sleep in the nest box and you will have poo on your eggs 

They will be comfy on the perches and don't tend to move much when you put them on there cos they get quite placid at night.  Don't worry