The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: rorsa on April 21, 2008, 09:05:59 am
-
I got five 19 week old Light Sussex hens with one 25 week old cock a week ago. They have settled in very well and are enjoying the full use of a fairly large garden. I have a brand new hen house which is plenty big enough for them all. My problem is that they refuse to perch on the perches provided but instead they all gravitate into the nesting boxes at night, which they make a right mess of. I have tried placing them on the perches manually but this doesn't seem to have made any difference. Am I doing something wrong? How do I get them to use the perches? Any help gratefully received.
-
A few things come to mind....... maybe the house is too big for them and it's getting chilly in there,so they go for the places in which they stay warmer. Solution; get more chickens!!! Or they haven't bonded yet as a group yet and the cock is herding them sufficiently enough. Solution; give it a few more weeks. (more likely) Or,maybe replace the perches with a bit of real tree,something a bit more natural.
Mine did exactly the same for the first couple of weeks. I can't tell you how much trouble I went to adapting a slice of the barn for them..... solar lighting,nesting boxes from a wardrobe turned on it's side,roosting perches et al,and they ended up roosting on top of the wardrobe of a night time. I put a dead branch from a pear tree in there and they seem to have taken to it.
Doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong,(never work with children and animals),maybe someone with a bit more experience will post an "all-knowing" answer and quick fix solution,but my guess would be,just give it time..... Ree
-
Can you close off the nest boxes? Ours will use them if they can, too. Some of them don't perch either but prefer to sleep on the floor - although we have arks, so they have gone upstairs already. I've stopped worrying about it but it is frustrating when you've gone to alot of effort. It's like buying the kids an expensive toy, then watching them play with the box!
-
Ours Sit on edges, in boxes, on perches and a few like to nestle down on the floor as well - they seem to find their own place. I like the idea of the branches actually, will use that one in our new chicken houses at the new property.
Kate :chook:
-
Thanks for the suggestions - maybe I just need to stop worrying.