How Old to Give Them Perches?

Thomzo · Post: # 60885Post **Thomzo** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:05 pm

Well I didn't get a chance to try last night, much to the cats disappointment, as I went out and had to shut them up early so it was still light.

But tonight I did have some success. All 6 birds were on the perch when the light went out. We'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to see whether they stayed there. The suspense is killing me. I'm tempted to go up and peek through the window but that would disturb them.

Zoe

ohareward · Post: # 60915Post **ohareward** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 5:23 am

Hi Bezzie, Percy Verince is a very good friend of mine. His proper name is perseverance.

Robin

Thomzo · Post: # 61015Post **Thomzo** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 8:22 am

Well there was plenty of evidence that they stayed up there a while

As you say. Percy is required but I think we might now have a chance!

Bezzie · Post: # 61103Post **Bezzie** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:26 am

Hey Thomzo, Well done!!!

It gives me hope before I have to start perching my lot - I'm hoping that they'll be clever little blighters and do it automatically.

Keep up the great work Thomzo. You'll have them perched like pro's by the end of the week.

Tigerhair · Post: # 62138Post **Tigerhair** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 8:01 pm

He he.
Our first chucks were ex-battery - they learned all by themselves what a perch was - admittedly I seem to remember they took a while getting up there.
After that - well it was chicken-topia at our house growing up, there were so many baby chicks each year - they just went up there when they were ready. We had rhode island reds and little bantums. Never seemed to hurt themselves.

Bezzie · Post: # 62181Post **Bezzie** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:27 am

That does it then! The youngest are now coming up to 14wk old anyhow, and they're perching on bits and pieces of branches in their run, so I'll start designing a new interior for their coops with perches and getting the nesting boxes in ready.

For all the conflicting stuff you can read, nothing can replace some down-to-earth conversation with those who are actually doing it!

Thanks for all the responses (and the giggles) folks.

I've got another "how old" question to add as a thread now .....

Ognen · Post: # 64059Post **Ognen** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:19 am

can i just ask a very naive question? Why do they HAVE to perch?? Some of ours like to perch some like to sit on the floor. Do I have to stop them?

Bezzie · Post: # 64061Post **Bezzie** » Wed Jul 04, 2007 8:35 am

My own crowd appears to be looking to perch.

I suspect it prevents them sleeping amongst their droppings reducing risk of illness? Any other points of view on this?

I recognise their desire even more after their week in the greenhouse (during our recent flood) when they thoroughly enjoyed jumping up on to the staging to roost.

Actually found the answer to this last week in Storeys Guide To Raising Chickens, where they said re perches at 8wk for light breeds, 10wks for heavies.