Perches and nesting

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by sbrokvam, Nov 9, 2009.

  1. sbrokvam

    sbrokvam Junior Member

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    So I'm two days into the adventure of raising chooks. We got a coop off eBay, like this one:
    [​IMG]

    and I'm quickly coming to realize why some recommend building sheds with a bit more height under the roof.

    I've got four birds, currently five weeks old, and have placed the coop in a little yard of about eight square metres as I suspect the coop itself will be a bit on the small side. They're a medium to large breed I think, but I can't remember the name - something with 'brown' (brown logan? Have googled but didn't find).

    A few (quite possibly stupid) questions I have at this point are:


    • - Is two nesting boxes enough for four birds?
      - Is it true that chooks prefer round perches? The coop came with flat perches (albeit with rounded edges). The chooks tend to huddle up in a corner, and when it's dark I lift them up into their 'sleeping quarters' and plonk them on their perch. However, they kind of shuffle around for a bit and then hop off and all lie down in the thick layer of straw I've put in the nesting boxes, all four in one box. I'm thinking either the chooks are still too young and prefer to cuddle all in a group, or they don't like flat perches, or perhaps the perches are just too wide.
      - What sort of hay is best for them? I'm currently using lucerne (what I had lying around), but it's kind of expensive.

    The kids have already named each girl, so I suspect they'll never end up in the pot. I caught my typically monosyllabic 13-year old, normally firmly ensconced in his man-cave, cuddling a chook out in the pen, happiness written all over his face.
     
  2. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Re: Perches and nesting

    G'day Ståle

    Well done on becoming a true stock holder. Chooks are great addition to any permie project, and great news that all of your kids are involved too. I'm sorry I can't help you with any of your chook questions - it's something that I have little experience in. However, I do know that Alana Moore is an expert in this field, and her book has been well received as a gift by many of my friends who have taken the plunge as chook keepers:

    Title Backyard Poultry Naturally: A Complete Guide to Raising Chickens & Ducks Naturally
    Author Alanna Moore
    Edition illustrated
    Publisher Acres USA, 2007
    ISBN 1601730047, 9781601730046
    Length 135 pages


    Cheerio, Marko.
     
  3. sbrokvam

    sbrokvam Junior Member

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    Re: Perches and nesting

    Ah, excellent tip - I'll get that one out from the library asap. Thanks Marko.
     
  4. Mumchook

    Mumchook Junior Member

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    Re: Perches and nesting

    Ditto the suggestion of the Alanna Moore book - full of great advice and tips on raising chooks naturally.

    Perhaps your new chookies are Isa Brown's..? A hybrid designed to lay eggs and not go broody. They are pretty friendly too, and inquisitive.

    Two nests will be adequate, believe me. If you had four nests there'd be many times when you could witness them queuing up in front of ONE. I have about fifty chooks and lots of nests in different sheds and it's almost a given that several will crowd into the one nest at a time, with a couple of others hopping from one foot to the other, itching to get in there and lay, with a couple of EMPTY nests sitting next to it! :)

    Re perches - I use branches so they're all rounded however many people use flat boards rounded at the edges. Your chooks are only young and probably not used to perching, and chances are they're a bit big for them at this stage anyway. Have you got a sturdy branch you could put in there temporarily and go put them on it at night so they get used to it? They don't normally feather up until about six weeks so chances it's still a bit cool at night's where you are and they're keeping warm when huddling up together.

    I use a deep litter system, with floor material up to about 30cms and I don't need to clean it out very often (3-4 times a year?), so it becomes more affordable using that system. Instead of lucerne alone, you can use shredded paper, rice hulls, whatever you can get your hands on which is affordable in your area, and which can be composted or put on the garden afterwards.

    Chooks bring lots of delights and your children will love them.
    Enjoy!
    :wave:
    Ree

    Edited to remove grass clippings from the list of materials suitable for a pen - should have suggested them for an outdoor area instead as they're too damp for indoors. See my later post...
     
  5. Mungbeans

    Mungbeans Junior Member

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    Re: Perches and nesting

    Lohman Browns? I have seven - they are great layers and I have read that they are ideal for first timers because they are a hardy breed.
     
  6. Mungbeans

    Mungbeans Junior Member

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    Re: Perches and nesting

    I have two nests in our chook house and all the hens lay their eggs in the one nest.
     
  7. sbrokvam

    sbrokvam Junior Member

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    Re: Perches and nesting

    Lohman Brown, that's the one - a quick google image search brings up very similar-looking specimens. Thanks!

    Mumchook, thanks, that all makes good sense. I hadn't put any litter down in the bottom part of the coop as there's grass there - however, even though this is suburbia, I shouldn't feel too safe from fox visits, so I'll put something under the coop to stop them tunneling into the coop and then put litter on top. This'll make it easier to scoop out all the good stuff for boosting the compost as well.
     
  8. Mumchook

    Mumchook Junior Member

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    Re: Perches and nesting

    Oh dear, I just typed a whole reply and my internet went down… so here’s another go. I must have been off with the fairies in my earlier post as I’ve given confusing or conflicting advice –sorry.

    When I mentioned the flooring material I meant for the pen area – your limber lined pen off the ground (nice lil coop by the way). I would not put wet or damp materials in there such as lawn clippings – the clippings and weeds I strew around their yard and often scatter grain over it so as to keep the chooks busy and active and turning over the material whilst looking for their food.

    In the pen or shed goes the dry material – the hay, or shredded paper, untreated wood shavings, etc. Being dry means it’s not going to go mouldy and your chooks will stay healthier for it. You could have a bare floor if you wanted to but IMO it doesn’t look so good, may get very grubby very quickly, a covering material will collect all the poop and stray feathers (and an occasional egg when your chooks decide to lay on the floor and not in their delightful nests nearby!) and every so often you can collect it all up and pop it in the compost or around the garden – wonderful stuff!

    For cheaper nesting material, you could ask the local timber yard for some wood shavings – just make sure that it’s from untreated timber – and even shredded paper from your office or school.

    Fox protection is a must, and wire will help prevent them and digging dogs getting in.

    All the best!
    Ree
     

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