Unsecure chicken perches

[Miahrose]

Hello! I've been lurking about these forums for a while, but now I need your expertise.

 

We got three Rhode Island Reds on Friday - they're lovely and getting on very well! We even got 2 eggs just yesterday!

 

At night, however, they curl up under the space where their coop is instead of going in themselves. (We have a house similar to this one:) - corn doesn't get them up there and I'll try a light tonight - I understand they might take a while to get used to us. The thing is, that our back garden is funny and next door's living room backs onto it, meaning even at night there is a stream of light into our garden. Will they learn to ignore this, or will it be a case of putting them in their house every night? (We are getting a new and much taller fence at the end of next month that may eliminate this problem though, I suppose.)

 

Also, once they're in their house, one roosts on a perch, the other on the floor and another in the nest box. I've heard that not sleeping on the perch can damage their feet - is this the case? And is there any way of encouraging sleeping on the perch instead?

 

I also wonder if you have any tips that will get them used to being handled, haha. They're quite laid back really, but we're a little inexperienced and are a little nervous when picking them up.

 

Two more things just quickly - is it safe to put a little red mite powder in with the bedding as a repellent? And can chickens eat dates?

 

Sorry for the 20q!

[Miahrose]

Forgot the link, our coop is like this: http://www.cumfypets.co.uk/ekmps/shops/mccoric/images/cp001_chicken_coop_open(1).gif

 

We've got a separate moveable run, so they've plenty of space.

[percy049]

Sorry I dont know the answer for sure for the rest of your questions, and I dont want to give you the wrong infomation.

 

Yes, you can sprinkle some anti-mite/lice powder in the house (which I do after every time I clean them out). PPowder only prevents them though remember, you will have to buy a spray if they actually get mites/lice.

[Plum]

Congratulations on getting your girls you are going to have so much fun.

 

If you pick them up to put them in at night that will help them get used to being handled but sure they'll go in soon themselves. It may be worth putting something on the run to cut out the light from nextdoor while they get in the habit.

 

Mine slept in the nestbox to begin with and when I got fed up with droppings on eggs I moved them off each night. The skin on chest can get a bit irritated from sleeping on bedding. I have no idea how to make the perches more attractive I think it's just the instinct to sleep in trees makes them perch. and I really don't know if it affects their feet. Perhaps put some perches in the run as well so they get used to perching. I hang veg near perches for them to peck.

 

I use red mite powder in the nestbox bedding as well. I would think they would love dates but like any treat I would give them in moderation, Mine would smile a lot at them

[Henergy]

HELLO & WELCOME TO CHICKEN WORLD

 

Your coop is almost the same as mine & I had the same problems. The first night they had to be picked up & shown where to go. Then the next couple of nights I tempted them with raisins & also picked them up & popped them in. After about a week they seemed to get the hang of it and now put themselves to bed lovely. They are mostly in a fenced area in our garden & always wander back to the coop when light fails & in they go.

 

We also had nestbox sleeping too ! I let them do it for a couple of weeks then got fed up of cleaning poo out of the nest box !! Someone here advised putting a plantpot in each nest box (night time only or they'll have nowhere to lay) - they then naturally go to the roosting bars. After about 2 weeks I removed the pots at night and they still roost. Occassionally one of mine settles in the nest box, but I gently lift her out when I lock up for the night.

 

Its all a learning curve, but they soon settle.

 

Never tried dates but they'll probably like them. As someone said, careful of too many treats as you'll get runny poos.

 

I use diatomaceous earth in my coop for the red mites (& clean with poultry shield). I also mix it into their dustbath.

 

Good luck

[Henergy]

Me again

 

Its natural to be a bit nervous of handling them - I was. My advice is to always try & stroke them when they come near for treats. Then I graduated to putting food on my lap which they hopped up for. I try & pick them up at least one a day. Make sure you put your hands round the wings, then I hold them close to me & hold feet too. I think its the same as babies - if you don't have them securely they fret & wriggle. But a secure grip & they will relax.

[Lavenders_Blue]

Congratulations on getting your hens, I bet you've not got much done this weekend with all the chicken watching you're bound to have been doing!

 

When I first got my girls, I was also a bit unsure how to handle them (not something that occurred to me until I got them home and then wondered how I was supposed to get them out of the box!).

 

Basically, the trick is not to be afraid of holding them fairly tight. Experience has taught me that wings are stronger than you think, and as soon as a wing gets loose, they flap it about like mad and it's quite difficult to keep hold of them.

 

Are your girls crouching yet (flattening themselves to the ground when you try to pick them up)? This makes them A LOT easier to handle. You can place your hands firmly over the wings and then pick them up. If they're not crouching yet, try handling them once they've gone to bed and are sleepy. This should make it easier for all concerned!

 

Good luck, you'll very soon get the hang of it, if you haven't already.

[Miahrose]

Thanks for all the help everyone!

Chicken watching has definitely proved to be time consuming and with exams looming, chickens have definitely been my most cunning procrastination set-up yet. ;D

 

All your tips have been very helpful I think I'll continue putting them in their coop until they've been with us a week as I could definitely do with a practice handling them and then I'll try covering the entire coop, check on them later at night and then put them in if they still haven't got the hint, haha. I'll also try the plant pots in the nest box

 

There aren't any run extensions available for the coop we bought, so we're going to build one in the next couple of weeks so they have a larger permanent one attached rather than the free-standing one we're lifting them into at the moment (can't let them free range until our fence is fixed!) Once this is built I'll actually be able to sit in with them and tempt them to approach me with corn rather than just picking them up.

 

I'm very excited to have them

[Miahrose]

Little update - I'm feeling a little proud.

Today I handled the girls quite securely & they were very calm. I think I was trying to pick them up & move them too fast before.

 

And I covered their coop with a blanket tonight to block the light and they'd tucked themselves in by 9:30 - albeit two stuffed in one nest box and one on a perch - but that'll be my next challenge.

 

Again, thanks for all your help!

[teacake]

I'm a newbie too, learning to handle them and help them to bed! Cornflake our bluehaze gets into a panic at bedtime when the others have gone into the eglu and flaps around frantically. last night I had to give her a cuddle to calm her down and pop her inside.... I put a small ball in the nest box, but I can hear them shuffling it about and moving it out of the way, so I need to try the flowerpot too.

[eve]

mine sleep in nest box every night!!cant put plant pots in as my egss are there every morning when i let them out. handling them at night is best for you as they are sleepy and wont flap. mine love mealworms as a treat feed them out of your hand.then you can touch them and look them over.also they get used to having nice things from you.

[chickanne]

Patience is all you need - and lures in the form of treats! Never try to chase them, they'll win hands down. Sit on a step or low stool as you feed them and once you have got their confidence, pick them up frequently for no reason, rewarding them with a small treat. Have small feeder cups that they can recognise as containing treats from a distance. Whistle or click your fingers when you offer a treat and you'll be able to call them from a distance, with time.

 

The more you handle them now, the more rewarding they'll be in the long run.

 

ENJOY every moment you spend with them

[Sam]

mine sleep in nest box every night!!cant put plant pots in as my egss are there every morning when i let them out. .

 

I put the nest box in once I get all 4 eggs, so when they go to bed lets say 8pm, they can't initially sleep in the nest box so they have to get comfortable on the bars. Then around 10pm I take the pot out, and they all stay on their perch because they are sleepy. (I think anyway) It's worked for me