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

[WitchHazel]

Hi All

My 5 chicks (3 Sasso, 2 Ixworth) are now three ana a bit weeks old. When commercially reared, the Sassos are ready for the table at 84 day (ours will have a much longer lifespan than that. I just mention that so you can appreciate how fast they are developing.

 

For the last week or so we started to put the chicks in the Eglu & run when it was sunny, startung at half an hour and building it up. For tha last few days, they have been out there all day, every day, going back into their brooder in the evening. I put one of those microwave Snugglesafe things in the nestbox, so they have somewhere extra warm to go if they need it.

 

Their brooder is very large, but they definitely prefer to be outside.

 

They are not quite fully feathered yet, but are close to it. Their feet are very powerful, and they grip on to anything - our fingers, the sides of plant pots which I've placed in the run, the side of the rug we used to use to transport them between the brooder and the Eglu (we carry them individually now).

 

I have the chick kit in the Eglu, and I'm woindering when it would be OK to remove it so they can roost on the bars.

 

Any ideas please?

Thanks

[Redwing]

Someone asked this question recently but I can't find the post, typical!

 

It was older than 3 weeks though, I think it was about 8 weeks ish??

 

I personally don't give my table birds perches/bars because I read somewhere that due to their weight its easier on their legs and more comfortable for them if they nestle but in saying that it doesnt means thats right!

[WitchHazel]

Gosh, glad I asked Tash!

Thanks

[Redwing]

Like I said it doesnt mean that advice is correct so see if anyone else offers any advice

 

Not giving mine roosting bars does mean that the bedding does have to be changed often or they get dirty and lose a few feathers on their tummies so its harder work

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I'm glad you asked this WH, I was planning just such a thread!

 

My babies are Light Sussex and all manage to perch on the branch which is in their run, and also one of the little monsters (boy!!) jumps up onto cage cups & balances there to eat mum's corn......I've yet to capture that on the camera!!!

 

The other night I opened up the eggport to find one of them perched on the edge of the nesting box with mum snuggled right up so it was kept snuggly and warm..so sweet.....

 

I'd rather have the roosting bars in the so I don't have to keep de-pooing the hemcore

 

Also, how long do I need to leave food & water available in the eglu overnight?

 

Sha x

 

Tried again to correct the sizes photobucket be listening .........it did after about 15 re-sizes and resubmittings

[Redwing]

Aww that second pic is so sweet

[Raina]

Aww that second pic is so sweet

 

Ditto

[Egluntyne]

12 weeks is the time to put the roosting bars back.

[WitchHazel]

12 weeks is the time to put the roosting bars back.

 

 

Goodness me! I had no idea it was so old!

 

That means that some table birds never get to roost. How sad! Our Sassos are supposedly table ready at 72 days...although ours will have a much longer free range life.

 

Thanks very much for that Egluntine.

[Lesley]

If we've raised chicks under a broody we fill the base of the Eglu with Aubiose until it is level with the top of the roosting bars so that it is flat. as they grow then the Aubiose packs downa bit and they are able to use the bars quite well.

 

We don't have roosting bars for most of our table birds because perching damages the breast meat - but they do perch on the outside branches etc.