Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[docsquid]

Today my girls had another go at FR, this time with clipped wings and a lot more chicken-proofing of the garden. The wing clipping did make a bit of a difference to Megan, a lot to Blodwyn but hardly any to Gwennie.

 

It seems to be Gwennie that is the problem. The other two go to bed, or at least back into the run with a combination of chicky-treats plus being picked up and put back in. At least they are pretty good at being picked up.

 

But Gwennie starts to get agitated around 4.45pm, and obviously wants to get "up" no matter where "up" may be. She's tried to fly into bushes and trees, and on top of the Cube. She clearly doesn't know how to get back into the hen house. When you pick her up and put her back in, she's fine and goes straight to bed.

 

She obviously wants to roost "up". How long before the "don't worry, they find their way back in at dusk" comes true? Or will I always have to sort her out before it starts to get dark to avoid her ending up in a tree?

 

Thanks!

Edited October 30, 2009 by Guest

[sjp]

my hybrid girls took about 2 weeks to get the idea the 3 pure breeds took more like 6 or 8 weeks to learn were the run gate was but they still don't understand bribery. they only go in because the big girls go in well 2 of them do rusty is her own girl last out last in

[dippy bird]

Mine only took a week or so.I must have clever girls.......

[docsquid]

Mine only took a week or so.I must have clever girls.......

 

Obviously I am expecting too much of Gwennie for the first two days FR then! I just worry I'll have to retrieve her from a neighbour's tree or something

[Patricia W]

Mine always want to roost "up". Interestingly, the behaviour was worst in the eglu but has disappeared in the cube as it's higher. I think it helps that I have a bench in front of the cube ( we have no cube run, but it's in an enclosed area). They roost first on the back of the bench for a while before they go inside.

 

Its my cockerel that does the agitated looking up routine - I am guessing that is the role of the top chicken who checks the skies for predators and handy places to roost.

 

Tricia

[docsquid]

Its my cockerel that does the agitated looking up routine - I am guessing that is the role of the top chicken who checks the skies for predators and handy places to roost.

Tricia

 

That's interesting, because I wouldn't have put Gwennie as top chicken - she is the smallest and the other two are always first to the food and occasionally discipline her if she tries to get a look in when they are feeding (she gets plenty when they aren't looking!). But Gwennie is definitely in charge of bed-time.

 

If she would go back into the Cube run, it would be a lot easier, I think, to get the other two back in. Maybe I shouldn't let them FR close to bed-time but let them out and then put them away earlier?

[Patricia W]

When I used the run, I used to have to tempt them in with the night time corn treat, then shut the door behind them.

 

Tricia

[Daphne]

I don't think top chook is always the last to bed - in fact in my case with the LF the cockeral and top hen are 1st and 2nd to bed; I have no idea what the bantams do as they are safely tucked up long before the big girls You could try putting a torch in the house to encourage Gwennie to go in there rather than anywhere else; this would definitely be easier if you marshalled her into the run about 30 mins beforehand - using a tin where the corn rattles is often a good bet. Birds do often settle down when the penny drops about what they are 'supposed' to do.....although not always

[docsquid]

Thank you for the ideas.

 

Gwennie knows where the hen house is just as soon as she gets into the run. Indeed, she is almost always the first to show the way up the ladder.

 

What she won't do is go in the run in the first place, she'd rather look for a tree or bush to roost in. I've tried the corn trick and Megan and Blodwyn usually fall for it, but not Gwennie. This is partly because she seems to be bottom chicken as far as food is concerned, so she doesn't get involved in the scrum for corn. The other two go straight into the run once corn is put down (more or less), but she doesn't want to know unless picked up and put in there.

 

She is very good at being picked up - much more passive than the other two, so maybe I'll just have to pick her up and put her in the run when it is time for bed, and the other two will probably follow, particularly if given corn

[Chicken Shirl]

A chickens instinct is one of the strongest in the animal world. The desire to be up high is purely a safety thing. Maybe it would be better to let them range in the early afternoon when they are less active, and get them back into the run about an hour before lights out. Then they can have their supper and go up into the cube when they are ready. Live mealworms will always tempt back.

[cluckingmad]

oh poor little Gwennie! Must admit my girls are pretty good at taking themselves off to bed, although the youngsters need to be caught and plonked unceremoniously into their run... was hoping that they'd work out that the other girls go in aroudn that time and follow them, but I suspect they're still rather too scard of them to follow (freckles does, at least in corn is involved but the other three pay no interest at all )

[chick wiggle]

Mine are good at going to bed now but i always get them into their run about an hour before bed time with their treats. I think it gives them time to settle down and they know then its nearly bedtime. Its probably more in my head then theirs though !

[docsquid]

They didn't get to FR today because either I or DH were out all day, and somebody needs to man the phones and door (we run the business from home). Tomorrow I'll try getting them in earlier. Gwennie likes sweetcorn, so we'll see if she goes for that.

 

Thank you so much for all your help!

[docsquid]

Following the advice here, I got them out earlier today - shortly after 2pm. They were really good, didn't try to escape or get in anywhere they shouldn't, and quite of their own accord went back into the run at about 3.15pm. They were rewarded with a sweetcorn, which they fell on like a flock of vultures

 

This is obviously the answer - get them out earlier (if we can!) and get them back in earlier. Gwennie wasn't showing any signs of wanting to get "up", but that usually starts about 3.45 to 4pm.

 

And now the contents of my compost heap and much of the compost I've spread on my flower beds is on the path!

[cluckingmad]

 

Ah, yes. Chooks do have a certain liking for compost heaps - we have the same problem!!