ex-batts

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone
I have had my ex-batts for 3 weeks now and they are doing really well. Their combs have gone red and they almost have a full covering of feathers. They still eat and drink non-stop!
The only thing I am having problems with is getting them to perch... I put the perch in their coop but every morning I find that they have been nesting on the floor. I have tried actually putting them on the perch but they just topple off... Other than this they have no problems walking or climbing up the ladder. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get them to perch?
Incidentally - these are the friendliest chickens I have ever known - as soon as you go anywhere near their enclosure they run up to the edges clucking widely, and when you go in they all gather round you! If you sit down they will all fly up on to your lap!! So sweet

 

[Lucylou]

I read somewhere that something like an old car tyre is a good thing to start getting them to perch as it is wide & they can stand on it, it helps to get their legs stronger. Don't know from personal experience so don't know how good this is but passing on the info

 

[Anonymous]

HI,

I've quite a few ex battery girls over the last three years. They are lovely birds and as you say very friendly. With our first lot we initially just used about 4 old rabbit hutches in the stable where they were initially living as it was warmer in there for them. At night I had to but them all to bad and I closed up the rabbit hutch doors and then let them out in the morning. After awhile they started to but themselves to bed.

When we did move them into the chicken shed ( a converted large garden shed) they were unsure of going out into the large run but got the hang of it. At night they started to sit on top of the hutches and in time started to perch properly.

I did do quite a bit or reading about ex battery girls and a lot said that their legs aren't strong enough to perch. If you look at where they have been living there isn't loads of space so they aren't going to be that muscular so with time they get there.

I did love my old girls and since them I have been having ex free range girls and last year one of our old ex battery girls hatched me some lovely legbar chicks which was great.

Hope your girls build up their muscles soon

Greenhen

 

[victorias poultry]

My ex batts still refuse to perch at night, and sleep on the hen house floor. Doesn;t matter how many times I put them on their perches. Aslong as they are happy and healthy I wouldn;t say it mattered where or how they sleep, anything must seem like luxury compared to the conditions they were kept in previously

 

[Anonymous]

mine did perch in their first house,but the perches were very low,only an inch or two off the ground.They are now living in a bigger house with higher perches and never perch,they sleep on the floor or in the nest box.

 

[girlracer265]

wait till their legs are stronger then try putting them up there at night and see if they stay is all i can suggest
some of ours never perched while others perched happily

 

[Anonymous]

That's really useful, thanks everyone.
Ros ~& Lydia - do you pick the poo up every day if they just sleep on the floor? This is what I have been doing as they have been sleeping in the same spot every night, but I was hoping that I wouldn't have to do this forever as they would get the hang of perching!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi I just cleaned them out when there was enough there to do so definitely not daily

Hope that helps,

Greenhen

 

[Anonymous]

I poo pick daily in the nest box,so my eggs aren't poohy,most of the girls sleep in there.With the house floor they scratch the bedding around, so I clean it thoroughly once a week.