[suziequeue]

We got three chickens today - so - first time parents. Very anxious. We have them cooped up for 24 hours and then they will be free ranging.

Will they roost naturally on the roost bar or do we have to make sure they go up?

We tried putting them on there but they are not terribly acclimatized to humans yet so there was a bit of a flap.

We don't want to stress them out or associate going on the roost bar with stress.

Any advice?

Susanna

[jameslindsay]

Hi Susanna. I think if you leave them alone they will take to bed themsleves when the time is right. Insticts should make them jump on to a perch but not all will do this - some apparantly never sit on a perch.

[langdon]

just as james said leave them to themselves and they will sort themselves out,
but in saying that we had to put some straw on top of the nesting box in the house as
one or two sleep on top of it
good luck with your new feather freinds!
let us know ow you get on

[Hermit]

Dont worry, some roost on bars some just snuggle in a corner. It is normal, as long as they have the option to roost on bars it is their choice. Hermit

[suziequeue]

Thankyou thankyou. That' very reassuring.

Went to check on them this morning and they were still alive javascript:void(0); and huddled together in the corner on the floor.

The dog is FASCINATED with them (they are not quite to fascinated with the dog!!javascript:void(0) - so he is going to have to be under orders when we let them out later.

Susanna

[langdon]

shep our sheepdog goes mad is well, he runs up and down along the lenght of the run
like you we are letting ours out when the perimeter fence is more secure, fun times ahead.
what breed have you got? we got lohman brown great layers

[suziequeue]

We have three Rhode Island Reds - The Three Degrees. They were pottering about the place this morning but the dog really was chasing them around so we have put up some plastic net fencing.

This evening we had a bit of a carry on trying to get them to go into their house but we got them in there in the end and popped them up on the roosting bar. Don't know how my DH is going to do that on his own when I go back to work next week javascript:void(0);

I'm sure he'll manage. How can we train them to go in on their own?

[jameslindsay]

They just will, after a night or two they will know and take themselves off to bed at the right time.