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

[peter broomhead]

how can i entice my chickens out of my cube??? i have put six black rock chickens in last night , but today they do not seem to want to come out . they seem to be afraid of the ladder, any suggestions please.

[smokiechicken1969]

Indie 99 always says think animal or in this case chicken. if you entice them out with a few handfuls of corn whilst making a noise such as shaking a tin, they will associate the noise with reward.

 

do you have any nice treats for them as a bribe?

 

a tub of mealworms will turn you into the chicken piped piper i guarantee it!

 

is there anything else around that is making them shy that you could have overlooked or thought 'normal' such as your dog by your side or a scary object in their eyeline?

 

they'll soon gain their confidence and then you'll be writing a post on 'how to get naughty chickens back into bed'

 

good luck

[WarrensWorld]

Try putting foam pipe insulation around the rungs, that seems to work. Violet still hasn't come to terms with the ladder even after several months.

You could always shush them out......

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I think a few folk have had chickens who can't manage the ladder . Do you have a plank or something you could put on top of it to make it shallower till they get the hang of it?

[Patricia W]

I have a bench in front of mine.

 

Tricia

[House MD 221B]

My laptop crashed while typing this so this won't be as lengthy as it originally was.

 

But Grapes / Blackberries / Sweetcorn are the 3 things that Scramble and Poach would jump out of a moving airplane door for.

 

They also like worms / slugs / snails, so spaghetti / tagliatelli might work too.

 

I'm sure others have much better advice, but from our personal standpoint Green Grapes Poach ill jump and try and take them out of our hand if we don't offer it to her lol (boundary issues, she doesn't win.)

 

but in "The River Cottage Cookbook" by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, (Page 214) it states...

 

Chickens do not automatically grasp the ladder system. They have to be trained. The way to do this is to shut them in the Hen House every night to begin with. Open the door in the morning, and they will soon learn that the only way down to the ground is by means of an awkward shuffle down the ladder, or a kamikaze leap from the top step. Over time they will come to prefer the shuffle. Teaching the upward climb requires a little more patience. Food, as ever, is the best incentive to learn. If the only grain available is placed on a temporary platform nailed to one of the lower steps, they will soon learn how to climb a step or two to get to it. Once they have mastered this trick, raise the feed platform a couple more steps. Eventually, usually within a week, they ill be happy to make the climb all the way to the top - and happy to go into the high rise Hen House to lay.

[Chicken Shirl]

I hate to be controversial but why can't they just fly up and fly down. It is not natural for them to climb up ladders. How high is it? A hen can fly up to 11 feet verticaly. Maybe a solid base with raised pieces of wood be more sensible and more comfortable for the hens.

[henriette]

I didn't realise that there could be problems with the steps going up to the cube. Our cube is hopefully arriving on Monday, but we are going away on Thursday, leaving homesitters in charge. I shall obviously have to give some training lessons before we go!! Oh boy, that should be fun

Incidentally, Chicken Shirl, what's the weather like in Teneriffe?

[Chicken Shirl]

Just perfect for the chooks it's cooling down and we can get the odd rainy day at this time of year. Today is lovely clear blue sky the sun is lower now, so just like a perfect summer day in the UK. I wouldn't change my life for all the tea in china. Thanks for asking. I am a bit stressed today though, as a friend who is getting 10 hens has asked for one of my cockerels, which is great but I have just put him in a pet carrier ready to go and he looked so surprised it is breaking my heart. Soft as brushes that's what we are. Still he has had a lovely start to his life and I will of course be able to see him again and always know how he is getting on. So Big Bob is off the list.

[Chicken Shirl]

Sorry Hen, forgot to say good luck with the ladder. I would be replacing it with a ramp if I were you. We humans we are quite mad thinking the hens can climb ladders they are forest birds for goodness sake

[peter broomhead]

Indie 99 always says think animal or in this case chicken. if you entice them out with a few handfuls of corn whilst making a noise such as shaking a tin, they will associate the noise with reward.

 

do you have any nice treats for them as a bribe?

 

a tub of mealworms will turn you into the chicken piped piper i guarantee it!

 

is there anything else around that is making them shy that you could have overlooked or thought 'normal' such as your dog by your side or a scary object in their eyeline?

 

they'll soon gain their confidence and then you'll be writing a post on 'how to get naughty chickens back into bed'

 

good luck

thanks for the advice ,but with my hens its a question of how hungry am i.At the moment they are up and down the ladder like Linford Christie. Thanks again ,lumper1356

[peter broomhead]

Sorry Hen, forgot to say good luck with the ladder. I would be replacing it with a ramp if I were you. We humans we are quite mad thinking the hens can climb ladders they are forest birds for goodness sake

thaks for the advice chicken shirl, but it seem with my hens its a question of how hungry am i,a day without food and water has done the trick. at the moment it like Linford Christie has given them a pep talk there up and down like manics. thanks again lumper1356

[peter broomhead]

I didn't realise that there could be problems with the steps going up to the cube. Our cube is hopefully arriving on Monday, but we are going away on Thursday, leaving homesitters in charge. I shall obviously have to give some training lessons before we go!! Oh boy, that should be fun

Incidentally, Chicken Shirl, what's the weather like in Teneriffe?

it has only been a 24hr problem with me,a day with out food has done the trick. have a nice time on holiday henriette. bi lumper1356

[smokiechicken1969]

haha brilliant. there you go, indie99 always says think animal. ah thats good news. they just needed a little confidence boost. x

[peter broomhead]

I think a few folk have had chickens who can't manage the ladder . Do you have a plank or something you could put on top of it to make it shallower till they get the hang of it?

what seems to cured my hens is a day without food, at the moment they are up and down like Linford Christie thanks for your input. lumper1356

[peter broomhead]

Try putting foam pipe insulation around the rungs, that seems to work. Violet still hasn't come to terms with the ladder even after several months.

You could always shush them out......

thanks for your input, a day without food and a bit of shushing has worked thanks again. lumper1356

[Chicken Shirl]

OK! Ok! you can teach a hen to do anything even climb ladders. I give in honest! xxxxx

 

As long as we are all happy that's all I care about.

[henriette]

Sorry Hen, forgot to say good luck with the ladder. I would be replacing it with a ramp if I were you. We humans we are quite mad thinking the hens can climb ladders they are forest birds for goodness sake

Well, my loved one is making a goose/duck house at the moment, so perhaps now is the time to ask him to make a ramp with any left over wood, just in case.

I am sure your cockerel will be happy where he is going - he will soon settle in.

Your weather sounds lovely. It's been good here too, but today is autumnal.

 

Thankyou peter broomhead for your good wishes for my hols and glad now ok with the ladder

[Chicken Shirl]

How lucky are we to have such handy husbands, he will have that built in no time at all with his trusty saw etc; You have to love them:D Have a great holiday

[henriette]

Thanks Chicken Shirl! I sometimes feel there is so much to do before going away that we are actually better off staying here but am visiting one of my grandsons for his first birhtday, so that's a bit different.

As far as the wood work is concerned today, poor loved one is having a day off as his joints are extremely stiff. A bit of WD40 needed I think. The chicken ramp will have to wait and we will have to improvise. I am in charge of painting the duck house today Hope your cockerel settled in OK

[Chicken Shirl]

Hi Hen,

 

it's not good when the joints start playing up. Give him a few lin seeds. Wish I was there to help you. Jim has phoned me to say that The Boy is crowing away and eating fine and he is giving him lots of cuddles which he loves. What is it with cockerels they are so loving and sweet. I have cried again this morning thinking of him all alone up in mountains until his girls arrive. We are going to see him at the week end so will take some pictures, he will have grown I'm sure. Enjoy your grandson, lucky you being able to visit. I do miss my grandkids. I have 4 on the little monkeys.