Perch height

Robert_S · « **on:** December 22, 2011, 16:20 »

Afternoon all

I adopted a little flock of (past their prime) chickens a few weeks ago, and they eschewed the perch in favour of huddling together in the nestbox, meaning lots of poo in their bedding. Those chicks now have a new home, and I am shortly getting some younger ones to replace them. I dont want them roosting in the nestbox, and I wondered if the old ones doing it was anything to do with the perch being at the same height as the box....should it be higher to encourage them to roost on that?

ANHBUC · « **Reply #1 on:** December 22, 2011, 19:59 »

Best to block off the nest box on a night until they get the hang of roosting. Use a piece of wood, stiff cardboard or something similar. Some members use sack cloth hung over the nesting area to discourage them. If you choose young birds who haven't roosted before you may need to lift them onto the roost bar for a few nights.

debih · « **Reply #2 on:** December 22, 2011, 20:17 »

Mine seemed to much prefer their nest box to their perches. So every night when I went up to close them in, I gave them a little gentle encouragement (ie - a shove) to get out of the nest box and onto their perches.

Now, when I go up they are still in the nest boxes (which does actually make it easier for me to make sure they are all in) but as soon as I close the house door, I can hear them moving around and then if I open the lid to the nest box up they have all moved over to their perches.

Judd · « **Reply #3 on:** December 22, 2011, 20:31 »

I hope I'm not highjacking this post BUT

If the chickens are supposed to sleep on their perches,when do they get to go in their nest boxes to lay eggs?
(I suppose it's a dumb question

)

ANHBUC · « **Reply #4 on:** December 22, 2011, 20:41 »

They can lay their eggs any time of the day Judd. The egg production takes around 26 hours so you will find that they lay at different times each day. Then it gets to the point where they miss a day and lay early the next morning.

There is no such thing as a dumb question, we all need information from other members from time to time.

darren64 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 22, 2011, 20:43 »

I'm havin the same problem,mine all used to use the perch but then the 2 hybrids started roosting in the next box,last night 1 of the speckled rocks had joined them leaving 1 speckled rock on the perch,so I pushed them all out of the box and blocked it off with wood,this morning they were all huddled on the floor of the coop,none were on the perch,so I have cut the perch into 3 angled pieces and joined them so that the perch is lower at 1 end then a slope then level again at the other end,when they went in the 2 rocks were back on the perch but the hybrids were in the nest box again,so I pushed them out and then placed them on the lower end of the roost and they walked up the slope and snuggled up with the rocks,I'll check later,fingers crossed they will still be up there.

ANHBUC · « **Reply #6 on:** December 22, 2011, 20:49 »

Quote from: darren64 on December 22, 2011, 20:43

I'm havin the same problem,mine all used to use the perch but then the 2 hybrids started roosting in the next box,last night 1 of the speckled rocks had joined them leaving 1 speckled rock on the perch,so I pushed them all out of the box and blocked it off with wood,this morning they were all huddled on the floor of the coop,none were on the perch,so I have cut the perch into 3 angled pieces and joined them so that the perch is lower at 1 end then a slope then level again at the other end,when they went in the 2 rocks were back on the perch but the hybrids were in the nest box again,so I pushed them out and then placed them on the lower end of the roost and they walked up the slope and snuggled up with the rocks,I'll check later,fingers crossed they will still be up there.

You could check their feet, with all the frosty and wet weather they might be sore. Sometimes they get a ball of mud caught in their feet. If this has happened soak their feet in luke warm soapy water to soften the mud, don't be tempted to just pull the dried mud off.

Robert_S · « **Reply #7 on:** December 22, 2011, 21:56 »

Thanks for the replies :blink:

Will keep an eye on the next lot, which I am looking forward to collecting on Saturday.

tstainesmoore · « **Reply #8 on:** December 23, 2011, 13:14 »

some birds will want to perch but it depends on how they have lived previously if they sleep in th enest box and are elder birds then they havn't perched before. however soemtimes with my birds some will perch and some wont dont force them to do it. but you could block the nest box off at night. also when buying in or rearing young birds i would advise not having perches until they are atleast half grown due to the perch rubbing against there breast bone and while that bone is still growing it can become, will not strainght, dosn't harm the bird but feels weird when handling them.

Kleftiwallah · « **Reply #9 on:** December 23, 2011, 14:27 »

The cheaper chickens will by higher up. . . . . they're on higher perches. !

Cheers, Tony.

kegs · « **Reply #10 on:** December 23, 2011, 14:30 »

Quote from: Kleftiwallah on December 23, 2011, 14:27

The cheaper chickens will by higher up. . . . . they're on higher perches. ! Cheers, Tony.

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Perch height

Robert_S

Perch height

ANHBUC

Re: Perch height

debih

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Judd

Re: Perch height

ANHBUC

Re: Perch height

darren64

Re: Perch height

ANHBUC

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Robert_S

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tstainesmoore

Re: Perch height

Kleftiwallah

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kegs

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