Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[ISCA]

Tonight, for the first time, all of my hens took themselves up the steps to their coop

 

Previously only my Cream Legbar has taken herself to bed, the others needed putting into the coop, but I used the old "torch in the coop" trick for the last 3 evenings and it has worked. Hurrah!

 

They all sleep on the coop floor in a huddle apart from the Legbar who has always perched, in the same spot. They are 9 weeks old.

 

I read on another web forum that at this age they should not roost on a perch as it can damage the keel bone, and perches in the coop should be removed until they are 16 weeks old. But my thinking is, leave them to do what comes naturally. they will roost when they are ready.

 

What are your views on this? Should I stop them perching until they are older, let them do what they want or actively encourage them to perch by placing them on the perches?

 

Thanks.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I've got a pic somewhere of one of my Lt Sussex fluffballs (so still very young) roosting on the edge of the nestbox & peeping out from Mum's breast feathers..........very sweet ....found it

 

I think they roost when they are ready, though I didn't put all the roost bars etc back until they were about 14 weeks or so & the Pekins didn't have bars in the ever, not until they were moved to the did they have roosting bars (just before they started to lay), though there were a couple of bars in the run for daytime entertainment which they used.....usually to panic me that one of them was missing The bars were left over from older chook habitation & DH had fixed them too securely for me to remove

 

Sha x

[TAJ]

When young I would give them the option not to perch, but I do think it is up to them as you say. My 7 week olds fly around the eglu, perching on top of the grub, etc so I put a daytime perch in the run and they are constantly using it, though at night they all sleep in the nesting box (yes all 7 of them get in there!).

 

Tracy

[Redwing]

I dont let my young birds perch

 

Anything on their run that they can jump on they will (water drinker, electric hen etc..) but I dont provide any perches or slats for them because of the potential damage to the keel bone