[Aunt Sally]

They won't try to get down in the dark  :!:

[GrannieAnnie]

What amazes me is, how they can sleep and not fall of the perch!!!  You will sometimes find chickens that really do not want to perch,  but most get the hang of it evenually.  Our 12 new POL's took a few days, but they all get up there now, even if they are 2 deep because they all like the same perch!!!!

Also, I think the reason a lot of them don't know what a nest box is, is because they are reared to POINT of lay, and not actually laying, so the rearer doesn't need to give them nest boxes, but my OH is giving our new chicks nest boxes when they go into their bigger house, so that they will get used to them when they go to their new homes!!!!

[Aunt Sally]

Don't forget the golf balls or artificial eggs to show them what the nest is for  

[GrannieAnnie]

I got three of those china eggs for the new POL's, but they haven't got the hint yet!!!!

[chickychick]

well they were all locked out of the egg box last night, so decided to squeeze into one corner of the coop instead  :roll:
so tonight I will be playing 'perch the chicken' in the hope that they get the hang of it.

still no eggs yet ....

[Selkie]

chicky chick - i am playing 'perch the chicken' too! hope you have better luck than i am! :roll:

[muntjac]

ok here we go on perches .is it to high ... 12 inches of the ground is good enough for young birds even less to give them the idea .i use a system like the frame of the old beach deck chairs that are adjustable to hieght .take a plank of wood or 2 and make2 A frames . cut into the front planks a series of holes 1.1/4 inch with a hole router about 6inch from the floor going up to 4 ft or so ..now fit a couple of stiff brush poles into the holes and secure with a nail drilled though the ends of the pole .take a  hand saw and place it in a vice blade uppermost . now run the poles across the blade roughening it up . replace and allow the birds to do thier thing  

[chickychick]

yep I think my perch could come down a bit as advised and I will replace it with something more natural I think.

 I have some nice pieces of apple tree which should do the job, I have perched them all tonight but feel like I am forcing the poor things to stay on there all night just cause they darent jump down in the dark.

I heard one fall off the minute I closed the coop tonight and they show no sign of getting up there voluntarily so a change is on the cards!

I would like to make the munty deck chair special really, but it sounds a bit too clever for me all those tools and things  :roll: sheesh I could break a nail or something!  

[muntjac]

seriosly its not .you just need a hole saw for use on an elctric drill ... a few screws and planking and of corse the poles ,.but with a knife you can use the apple branches by just paring the ends to fit .or cut bigger holes