Unsecure chicken perches

[debbier]

I've got two new chooks (pics soon!), and have portioned off my wir. I've put a temporary night box made of a dog crate with blankets + rain cover over 3 sides. There's aubiose in the tray, but no roosting bars.

 

I just popped outside to check on them, and it looks like they are both perched on top of it.

 

Will they be ok up there for a night, or should I try and shoo them into the crate?

 

And should I try to rig up some roosting bars for future?

[skye]

Hi debbier

 

Sorry to hear the newbies are insisting on sleeping ON, rather than IN the house you've made for them! In the summer, as long as your WIR is fox proof, I would say your chooks would be fine outside and one of ours regularly sleeps out on the perch then.

 

How sheltered is your run? If there's a chance they might get wet and also have a draught blowing on them, I might be inclined to put them inside. They should be pretty handleable once they're out for the count. Just keep their wings in when you pick them up.

 

It might be that they are used to going 'up' to roost rather than roosting at the same level as the waking hours.

 

Cheers!

skye x

Edited November 24, 2009 by Guest

[Jools]

They're following their roosting instincts of getting as high as they can. I don't know what the weather is like where you are but if it's as windy and wet as it is here, I'd get them under cover for the night. Could your raise their cage tomorrow so they can go "upstairs" to bed by themselves?

 

whoops, cross-posted with Skye

[Egluntyne]

My Fenton Blues did this when they first came. As a 'breed' they are frightened of their own shadows, and were very, very nervous.

 

I went in under cover of darkness and put them in the cube, for a week or so. They soon got the idea.

 

It is very blowy at the mo and the temperature drops considerably at night, so I'd be inclined to do the same with them.

[Carol U]

Another thing you could try is tucking them in alongside the older ones once they are all asleep. You'll need to separate them again in the morning for a few days, but it does help them to get used to one another's smell and keeps the new ones cosy and warm. I've found that after about a week, they are putting themselves to bed all together.

[skye]

Snap Jools!

[debbier]

It is very windy here!

 

It's a covered run, but not wind proof, and the rain does get in when it's windy. I did try putting the newbies in with the others last night, but they weren't exactly friends this morning, hence the separate bedding quarters. I'm planning on keeping them there for a few days, until they are more settled.

 

Looks like I should move them indoors.

 

I'll get my torch

[skye]

Good luck Debbie!

 

Once you've put them in their temp house, even if they are a bit restless at first, they should stop moving and settle down to roost if you just switch off the torch. The darkness calms them down straight away.

 

skye x

[debbier]

Well, one windy, dark trip to their house, and they were picked up and into the dog crate. If they chose to leave it after that, then on their own heads be it, becaue I'm staying nice and warm in my house, thank you very much.

 

Oh, and santa, if you are reading this, I need a new torch...

 

btw: one is a Cream Legbar and the other an amazingly airbourne Maran. I thought they were meant to be lazy? Mine would give a seagull a run for its money!

[debbier]

Update: gosh it sounded awful out there last night. Very windy and rainy.

 

Still, this morning my two new chooks didn't look as wet or bedraggled as they surely must have done had they not been under cover. I'm planning on trying to find an old table or something to raise the coop. It would give them a bit more ground space anyway.

[Jools]

And don't forget about that new torch ...... just in case they decide to sleep on top of the cage on top of the table tonight!!

 

Actually, being serious for a moment, maybe try putting a torch inside the cage just before bedtime to light the way for them. It does work if they don't know where they're mean to kip.

 

Legbars have some Leghorn in them and they are a light breed and generally a little flightier. As for Marans, I've never had a lazy one! My first breed and I love them to bits.

[debbier]

I'll try and get some pics while it's fine here. They are sooooooo cute!