daft chickens

Sadgit · « **on:** July 19, 2007, 22:03 »

why at night when I lock up the coop (like just now) are all 3 of my chickens tucked up in the nesting box and not on the perch?

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2007, 22:09 »

Ahh... bless their little star fish feet. I'd prefere to sleep in a nice warm nest than sitting on a hard cold stick too. They'll learn eventually, you might have to teach them though

Sadgit · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2007, 22:59 »

how do I teach them? just checked on them and all nicely asleep in the nesting box..... I have noticed the perch that came with the coop is 2inches and has angular edges, so tomorrow I plan to plane the thing and make it more rounded and less wide... good idea?

chicksforkicks · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2007, 00:15 »

good idea, but how old are the chickens?

Sadgit · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2007, 06:26 »

20 weeks or so

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2007, 11:54 »

Move them onto the perch (nicely planed) when they have settled down for the night.

I was going to suggest that you sat on the perch to show them how... but it might not take your weight :roll:

chicksforkicks · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2007, 20:31 »

if they arent laying yet take the nest box out until you get an egg, then put the nest box back in with a golfball or two. it might work, just an idea

psipower · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2007, 20:43 »

good ideas so far...

you could also just block off the entrance to the nest boxes for a while. They may sit on the floor- in which case lift them up when settled as suggested - or they may try the perch.

cherrypie · « **Reply #8 on:** July 21, 2007, 10:09 »

so do they actually need to sleep on perches to sleep on, the reason i ask is because mine don't have a perch available to them inside their coop, (probably cause it's a rabbit hutch and i haven't ever seen a rabbit perching,) they've got plenty of perching posibility outside that they use but they threw out the branch i laid inside the hutch for them.
my chooks are only 8 weeks old, i have a proper chicken coop for them to move into when they are a bit older, but am i storing up problems for myself. they still have mum with them though it doesn't look like she is mothering them anymore. i'm planning to move them within the next two weeks (if the rain holds off long enough for me to stop building the ark and start making a nice enclosure for them.)
thaks cherrypie.

Ali · « **Reply #9 on:** July 22, 2007, 22:31 »

What is the golf ball for?

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2007, 22:35 »

It's a pretend egg - shows the chooks where to put theirs

Ali · « **Reply #11 on:** July 22, 2007, 22:44 »

does it need to be white? and would a ping pong ball do?

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #12 on:** July 22, 2007, 22:48 »

a ping-pong ball would be fine

Sadgit · « **Reply #13 on:** July 24, 2007, 09:01 »

cool thanks for the tip.. golf ball it is then and we have our 1st egg what a tiny thing but perfect.. laid in the run of course

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