The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Ionahenatlast on July 22, 2011, 08:53:08 pm
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Hi there, picked up some ex batts last night, they range from a bit bare to a LOT bare, but they seem to be settling, I was wondering though if they will ever actually use their perches, is it something that will come to them when they are feeling more secure? At the moment they are all huddling together and either squeezing into their nesting boxes or just outside them.
Thanks
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Some will, some won't. I don't think it matters really though a lot of people seem very concerned if their birds don't perch.
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Being ex-batts, they'll not be used to having perches, so won't know what to do with them. They might get the idea eventually, but the phrase 'bird brain' was invented for chickens ::) ;D
Some folks go in after dusk and lift them onto perches, to kinda give them the idea.
I don't have any ex-batts, but some of my chooks sleep on the floor, some go on the perches (various heights) and two even squash themselves onto the high shelf which was supposed to be for cleaning stuff ::)
As long as they're happy and healthy - it doesn't really matter ;)
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I have two perches and a long shelf 2 feet off the floor. My exbatts roost, my 2 Light Sussex sleep in the nesting box with a warren. Previoulsy the LS roosted and the exbatts were on the floor - don't know why they changed! ::) Yup, bird brains all right! ;D
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Thanks for your replies, i'm like a first time mum, read all the books etc but not knowing exactly what to expect until they arrive then worrying myself sick about them lol, don't think i've went into a deep sleep for the past two nights just "in case" ;D
I've been out and opened their door up for them this morning and though they're not venturing out it's lovely to see the baldest of them all basking in the sun thats shining through.
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they will be fine. ours did well even in a flock of confident and quite bolshy hens and cockerels. they blossom and enjoy life to the full. ours never did join the others on the perches, but, apart from dirty nesting boxes, it doesn't make any real difference. just enjoy watching their feathers grow and their relative tameness compared to 'normal' free range birds.
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We had 10 ex-batts and they always squeezed into 3 nest boxes - the only downsize really is the nest boxes generally get pretty mucky which is a bit of a pain, resulting in dirty eggs.
Enjoy!
:chook: :chook:
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Please ask lots of beginner questions - I'll be learning from the responses too ;D
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Thanks for your replies, i'm like a first time mum, read all the books etc but not knowing exactly what to expect until they arrive then worrying myself sick about them lol, don't think i've went into a deep sleep for the past two nights just "in case" ;D
I've been out and opened their door up for them this morning and though they're not venturing out it's lovely to see the baldest of them all basking in the sun thats shining through.
I can soooooooo relate to this! My venture into chickens was the first time I had 'pets' out of doors. Any noise outside would have me out of bed and rushing to the window. Good luck with them :)