Single hen

[OwenLdn]

Hey everyone,

 

Hope you are all well!

 

I wondered those of you who have larger houses or wooden houses- (as omlets dont have roosting bars up high) does anyone ever have problems with chickens being pooped on in the night by the other birds?!

 

I know this sounds a ridiculous question but my Light Sussex Susy, doesnt seem to be able to jump up to the perches at night even though one of them is quite low- there are 2 one higher than the other) so she sleeps on the floor or in the nesting box with the Silkie.

 

And a couple of times she has had poop on her back in the morning- now as a both of the birds who nest on the floor are white this is quite an obvious problem!

 

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with this? Perhaps take out the tallest roosting bar so the only bar to roost on is low and less likely for a hen to sit underneath it?

 

Lift the hens up each night so they all sit on a bar? Make everyone sleep on the floor? How much of a problem is poop on the birds apart from cosmetically?

 

Thanks!

 

Owen

[Old Speckled Hen]

I doubt it bothers any hen to be pooped on. Unless, of course, she wears that poop like a burden through the day.

Relax and enjoy your chooks. Aren't they wonderful?

[stoice]

In larger hen houses I've often seen the ladder type roosting bars - meaning the higher bar is not directly above the lower one. Would this be possible in your set up? or a shelf between the two bar levels to catch any poop? I probably doesn't bother the bottom chook, who is clearly the bottom of the pecking order anyway (The highest roosts belong to 'top chook') although it doesn't look pleasant does it?

[OwenLdn]

Thanks guys- i know im worrying over nothing! But thought id check just in case!

 

Its interesting as you say the hen could be the bottom of the pecking order- id always assumed she was the top as no one seems to pick on her. And that she was just too lazy to get up onto the perches!

 

There is no really way of placing a tray under the perches really im just glad the poop wasnt as runny as it was when i first got them.

 

The Silkie bless her tries to get up but she jumps about 5cm into the air flapping wildly! But cant get up onto the perches then if you pick her up she sways and moves around and tends to barge the others off the perches who are already up there- she isnt popular with the others for this! You can hear them muttering about her!