Re: Up the Ladder.

usenet_at_isbd.co.uk
Date: 07/27/04 

Date: 27 Jul 2004 12:27:29 GMT

Jay <j_green156@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> "Martyn" <bill@Microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:10gch02pooc6o8c@corp.supernews.com...
> > My chicken shed has got a ladder/ramp up to the perch. But when the first
> > chicken goes up the ladder she won't shuffle along to make room for the
> next
> > one.
> > So the next one has to sleep at the top of the ladder; and the third one
> can
> > only get half-way up the ladder.
> > The fourth one has to sleep on the floor with the two ducks.
>
> Mine are similar with the ramp that goes up the the pop-hole. Occaisionally
> we have to open the side door and gently move the blockers out of the way.
> But we do find that as it gets darker they tend to move in a bit more. We
> also noticed that those who got left out tended to start going up earlier.
> But they will also simply barge past if they really want to go up.
>
Our hen-house is on wheels and is about 8" or a little more off the
ground. We kept the chickens in it for a day or two before letting
them out into the adjoining coop. Since they simply jumped up into
the pop-hole we've never bothered with a ramp. There seems to be no
problem with them blocking the pop-hole, their perch is on the other
side of the house away from the pop-hole, it's about 6" or 8" off the
floor I think.

> > I also made a lovely pair of nest boxes for them to lay in, but they won't
> > listen when I try to explain what they're for.
> > I don't think any of them have ever been in them.
> > I don't think they've even seen them; they certainly won't jump up to have
> a
> > look in them.
> > They don't seem to have any concept of 'UP'.
>
> Have you tried putting the nest boxes lower? You could also leave a couple
> of china eggs or golf ball in the nest boxes. I assume you made them nice
> and dark. Where are they laying? Try and assess what makes their choice of
> nest different and see if you can learn anything there.

Our nest box is a long affair along one side of the hen house, its
floor is at the same level as the hen-house floor and there's just a
little step for them to get over to go into it. They seem to have
taken to laying eggs there without any help at all from us. We've
only had three eggs (that we've discovered!) laid elsewhere, since we
have six chickens laying just about one egg a day each I don't think
we've missed many.

> How about posting some pics of the set up. Someone might be able to off
> better advice.

Good idea! 

-- 
Chris Green

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