[Bert]

Sorry if this has been asked before. I know you need a minimum of 30cm per bird on a perch, but what distance do you need between perches for big birds (black rock size) and how high off the floor can you go? Only ask because I'm thinking of adding one more and staggering the perches.

[goosepimple]

Hi Bert
I think you'll just have to use your common sense on this one - the 30cm will be a radius around the perch (back/front/sides) but they will need extra space for jumping/fluttering up to the perch - I'd just try and give them as much space as you can but don't overload your chicken house, they do need space or you'll run into bullying problems - they always want the highest perch remember.  Why don't you encourage some of your stock to roost in a tree - they are safer there than in a house and go to bed and get up when they want to, no need to shut in.  You can encourage them by nailing small branches to a stick as a ladder - just make sure its at a shallow enough pitch they can climb - they can roost amazingly high  , ours looked like big christmas puddings in a tree, you really don't have to house them.

[in the hills]

I would be worried about not housing at night. Arent they more vulnerable to predators when they come down from roosting early in the morning? My mad friesian fowl have occasionally spent a night roosting out but were on the ground VERY early the next morning. Isnt Mr Fox or similar more likely to still be prowling?

Not sure of exact sizes needed between perches. As earlier post said you can just look and sort of tell. I did read somewhere that it was a good idea to have all perches at same height ..... to prevent the hens perching higher becoming more dominant/ bullying starting.

[goosepimple]

We inherited LOADS of feral hens when we moved here and they all roosted in trees - about 5 different trees.  Most were 6 and 7 years old - maybe it depends on where you live about the fox thing, we have never had any of our hens taken this way.

[in the hills]

Mmmm ..... interesting goosepimple. Maybe I neednt search so hard for my crazy fowl!!!!

They are amazing fliers. When I throw their corn out they land on my head and are always where they shouldnt be.

Think they would happily live a sort of semi-feral existence  ::

[goosepimple]

No red mites, no bickering, they teach their chicks to go up and they sit under their wings....wouldn't do it any other way - oh, we just use the balsa wood veg boxes you get at the fruit and veg shop filled with a bit of straw as nesting places for eggs so you can find them!

[in the hills]

Boxes on the ground or in the trees?

Our Friesians also lay in the hedge about 5ft up. One hen brooded some eggs up there last year but we did retrieve them and relocate her to the shed just as they were hatching. She started fussing around and they were in danger of rolling out.

Are your ferals a light breed like friesians? Must say all my heavier, more sane hens seem more than happy to go into the coop. One did attempt to sleep out on one occasion(wind had blown the pen door closed and she was locked out) but we did a frantic search and she was roosting in a tree but way too low down to escape predators.

[goosepimple]

Boxes usually semi-high - like on top of a couple of hay bales or on a shelf in a shed.  They stay low with their chicks until they are old enough to come up the tree with them and then the chicks sit under each wing on the branch and they stay like that for weeks, a whole family on one branch.  The hens are mixed - some light, some heavier - there was a RIR cockerel who was huge who slept up in the trees all his life until he died at 7 years old.  Our lighter hens tend to stay on a suspended broom handle under cover of the car port roof and lay their eggs in the hen house (which goes unused for bedtime).  If you're frantic about losing a hen then maybe this isn't the way to do it, but if you are easy going (and realistic) then it's about as safe as you can get, as I said, we've never had trouble with this and it's super convenient.  Just keep the house open for those who prefer it, but if you do want some in trees then a helpful we ladder is the way to go with plenty twig rungs on it.  Good luck!

[Sandy]

My chickens used to roost in the tree but I took away thier hop up point so now they all go to the shed...In one of our very bad winters I was counting them each morning as I expected them to drop out frozen but they seemed very healthy,,,, no fox problem as we are a walled house in a village center!!   Mine lay in the old hen house and now the bedding is last years flower basket linners, they look like little nests!! I used to use old draws but not anymore as they tend to poo on anything and everything!!!

[Bert]

Thanks for all the advice 

[clydesdaleclopper]

I'd love to see a photo of the ladder up the tree as I'd love to do this 

[suziequeue]

Our speckledys roost in the tree but the RIRs don;t. I much prefer them tree roosting. it seems much more natural and - as goose pimple says - no ticks, mites or lice. no bickering and they can come and go as they please. I put a tray with some hay/straw in it to catch their droppings - far too valuable to web wasted!!!

Ours roosted in the trees all winter. They snuggled up close to each other and were none the worse for it.

I hope our hen teaches her new chicks to fly up.

[goosepimple]

A bowl of rice crispies in warm milk in the winter helps to defrost them when they come down in the morning