4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[MaxBaz]

Several weeks ago put a large branch high up in the Cube which the girls are using more and more - it has now got to the stage that they sleep out on it - all four in a row - rather than use the roosting bars.

 

I scrub the roosting bars every week, clean the poo trays each day and sprinkle louse powder etc on the roosting bars so don't think there are any nasties lurking about (but have spotted the mice/rats are back....)

 

Wondering why they prefer to spend the ENTIRE night on the perch now - I know they do because the poo trays are totally clean every morning!

 

I don't mind this so much as the summer progresses, but hope they won't keep this up in the middle of winter and freeze!

[Tessa the Duchess]

I believe chickens originally lived in forests and roosted in tree branches, so they are just doing what comes naturally I have always thought the Omlet roosting bars are a poor substitute for a tree branch.....but what do I know?

 

Tessa

[Egluntyne]

A friend of mine had hes a few years ago and they never slept in the hen house...they always roosted up in the trees....and she never lost one to a fox.

[sheik]

I haven't seen a Cube inside - but wouldn't it be warmer up near the roofspace?

 

Anyway, it's likely it just fees more natural to them, either because of the feel of the branch or the added height.

 

You should post a picture to inspire other Cube owners to "upgrade" their henhouse .

 

/\dam

[Snowy]

I have four that now roost in the branches of their run. They seem quite happy there The same branches have been there all winter but they all snuggled up in the cube when it was at it's coldest.

[debbie]

I'm having a simular problem too at the moment, my two new girls ( I've had them for about eight weeks now ) don't like to sleep in the eglu, I've had put them to bed for weeks now, they like it up on their perch.

 

The eglu is clean, there's no unwanted visitors in there.

 

My eglu is on the floor in a walk in run, but I have a cunning plan !!! I'm going to build a table and put the eglu on that to see if they will go up to bed then. I've never had any problems with the other girls going to bed.

 

I know that many of you out there have raised you eglus too. I'll let you know if it works.

[Twiglet]

I have a cube and have also wedged a branch to make a perch diagonally accross the run. All of my chooks LOVE to sit on there at all times during the day and the younger 2 sleep there at night quite often.

I used to worry on the colder nights and tried to chase them into the house with a broom but at the end of the day I think they are capable of making their own minds up where they want to sleep. They do both now, sometimes in, sometimes out.

I do think it has something to do with being warmer as it's raised up, especially as my cube has a clear cover on in the winter making it nice & cosy in there.

[meezers]

I read this thread last night, then went out at 9.15pm to shut the pop hole as usual- and there , for the first time, were 3 of my chooks roosting on their perch in the run ! must be the warmer weather encouraging them to do what feels natural ! I was planning on leaving the pop hole open when we went away on holiday in August , looks like I'm starting now

[MaxBaz]

I'm just going to let them do what they want - I have one of the Omlet shades over the top of the cube, so they are protected from any rain or anything jumping on the cube and they seem happy enough coming and going as they want.

 

One reason I did like them on the roosting bars was that I could sprinkle louse powder etc on them to give the girls a bit of a dusting now and then.

 

It is impossible to try and add the red mite powder etc to their dust bath as they seem to find a different place in the run every day and knock over the cat litter tray if I try that!

[Clash City Rocker]

Could a couple of Bamboo/Garden Canes pushed from one side of the Cube to the other side be used as perches/roosting bars ?

 

Anyone got photo's of roosting bars in their Cubes ?

[bronze]

Yes they could as thats what I do