Author Topic: Hens not perching (Read 3676 times)

janeh · « **on:** November 08, 2017, 10:22:52 pm »

Hello,
I have 4 hens that live in a Durham Hens hen house. Initially they all flew up to perch, but now there is one that never flies up to perch and either sits on the floor or in the nest box. This one used to always be the first to fly up. We did have some incidences of one of the perches falling down at one side so wondering if this could have put her off. I come and lift her onto the perch but it's not easy to put her on.

Any thoughts? The perches are 4cm round wooden ones. I have adapted them to make sure they can't spin or move now.
Best wishes,
Jane

Perris · « **Reply #1 on:** November 09, 2017, 06:09:04 am »

This article has a lot of info and advice about it
http://www.yourchickens.co.uk/care-and-advice/the-perfect-perch-1-2842822
good luck!

chrismahon · « **Reply #2 on:** November 09, 2017, 07:15:37 am »

All our perches are rectangular with rounded corners and they drop into slots so they can't move but can be easily removed to check for red mite or to assist in cleaning out. Large fowl perches are 85 mm wide and bantams 60 mm wide. As the study found out (and we have observed) chickens like to rest their keel bone on a flat stable area.

janeh · « **Reply #3 on:** November 09, 2017, 08:52:34 pm »

Thanks. I had seen that and was wondering if the shape of the perches was the best. Maybe we should make some square ones with rounded off edges.

Alex_ · « **Reply #4 on:** November 10, 2017, 12:06:13 pm »

When I had chickens they all used to go to sleep in next boxes. It doesn't do them any harm.

Perris · « **Reply #5 on:** November 10, 2017, 02:12:30 pm »

two of mine have recently taken to sleeping in a tree and choose to perch in what looks like the most uncomfortable places

giving up perfect perches in a large dry plastic coop in the process. C'est la vie!

Steph Hen · « **Reply #6 on:** November 10, 2017, 09:36:25 pm »

If you can, it may help to lower the perch a bit, or put a grid or something (I use an old fire guard) a few inches above the floor so she learns that she's either preached properly or still off the floor on the grid. They seem more keen to choose the proper perch within a few days.
I don't like hens to sleep on the floor or in nest boxes because muck gets into nest boxes and on the birds' feathers. I also like to avoid any eggs being warmed and wonder if birds doing this are more likely to go broody?

janeh · « **Reply #7 on:** November 12, 2017, 09:27:30 pm »

Hmm, might give that a try. I don't want them to perch in the nest boxes because they poo in them and then any eggs that get laid in them get dirty. I could lower the perch height and I have bought some wood to have a go at making flat topped perches (with rounded corners).

Jane

janeh · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2017, 04:58:39 pm »

Hello,
I have done a couple of things to improve perching. We lowered the height of one of the perches, this didn't make a lot of difference. Today I made them go in well before dark, because I had a hunch that they are not perching because they are going into the shed too late.

Hey presto, 3 out of 4 perched. 1 on the highest perch and 2 on the lower, so maybe lowering the perch was a good idea. I then opened the roof to make more light, then the one that was sat on the floor perched. Bit of a nuisance if we have to chase the hens in all the time though. We'll see how we go with this approach.

Jane

Steph Hen · « **Reply #9 on:** November 22, 2017, 01:19:46 pm »

How about a dim solar light in their house?- they could go in by themselves but have a bit of gloomy light to mess about flying up to their perches. You could remove when you lock them away if you wanted. Just a dim light.
Once they get they hang of perching they'll do it themselves and all want to be the highest. I go through this with my chicks. Some immediately want to perch high, others always want to sleep on the floor. This is why I suggested the mesh floor; a bit of draft underneath seems to work well for getting them to figure it out. Good luck!

janeh · « **Reply #10 on:** November 28, 2017, 09:17:44 am »

Yes good idea of a dim light. We have some that we might be able to rig up. Initially they just had the house and the run, and they didn't want to go out much. Then they all perched, as presumably since they were in the hen house all the time, they could see when it was getting dark. Now they are free range. It seems to me that by the time they decide it's time to go to bed, it's quite dark in the hen house for perching. Getting them inside at 3 ish and leaving the roof vent open (temporarily as it's just for hot weather really) to give extra light, is definitely helping. 3 out of 4 perched yesterday, whereas if they all go in by themselves, they often all sit on the floor.

Best wishes,
Jane