Unsecure chicken perches

[Belinda123]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum and quite new to keeping chickens. I have a question about hens going to roost in their hen houses at dusk. Ours just settle down on top of the guinea pig cage which is quite near the house. They only ever took themselves off to roost twice on their own but now just wait on the top of the guinea pig cage until we carry them to bed! It's not red mite - i've checked. I wonder if it's because we hatched them in the kitchen and they lived on the working surface until they were about 10 weeks old or something. Perhaps they are just hoping that they'll be let back in the house if they sit there long enough. I've tried tempting them into the coop to roost at night with treats but nothing works. It's not the end of the world if I have to carry them to bed every night I suppose - but I quite like the idea of them taking themselves off to bed when they're ready. Has anyone else had this issue? Any top tips?

 

Thanks

Belinda

[Redwing]

Does their coop have a run? If so I'd keep them in the run for a week or so and they will get in to the routine of going to bed then when you let them out they'll remember where bed is

 

If you carry them to bed they'll never learn. Its not that they want to be carried (they dont really think like that) its that they will roost in any nice high place

 

In short you need to tweak their habits

[migsy]

3 of my hens roost on top of a field shelter I have (which is enclosed within a run). They can go in the coup but only do so if it is cold. Perhaps yours will go in when the weather gets colder.

[nannyhenny]

Think you need to imprint their new home on them. Omlet advise keeping the girls in their run for five days till they know where they should lay and roost. Have you got a run attached to your coop? If so, I would shut them in for five days and see if that does it.

[Belinda123]

Thanks for the advice, it's very useful, I'll give them a go.