Ex-batts perching?

[shadegrow]

So we've had our ladies since January 31st this year. Now they've got 90% of chicken business sorted, they're onto pellets, lay in the nest box and all except poor little Marigold have grown lots of nice new feathers but they're still not perching. Is anyone sure how long it will take them and if they will actually learn to perch?

[MaureenHall]

Some never do take to the perches. BHWT recommend that you lift each one onto the perch after they've gone to bed and are sleepy. I didn't do that when I had mine, I just poo-picked the nest boxes each morning before they laid their eggs

[Suechooks]

I put a tyre in the hut to teach them to get off the ground (they have some in the run too so it's familiar). It seemed to work for mine though the lower girls in the pecking order do roost on the tyre and the boss hens go on the perches.

[raine]

I thought mine were perching but they're not! they like to huddle down between the perches. Oh well..

[dozey1]

I have 4 ex bats and only 1 of them uses the perch. The other 3 just huddle on the floor.

[DJ_Chook]

My 6 girls sleep all huddled together on the coop floor. I tap on their coop window in the morning, they all hop onto the perches. I open the door, they toodle out "oh yeah we been on those perches, all night - honest we have". lol

[DaisyDiamond]

Mine were not ex-batts but they don't perch well either. I have spent weeks lifting them onto the perch after they have gone to bed in their nest box. Once moved they stay there all night but the next evening they go back to the next box and we start again. Have thought about shutting off the nest box but they lay before I open them up about 6.30/7am so they'd have nowhere to lay if I did that.
I have tried so it might be time to let them have their way. Are there any issues with them not perching - other than mucky nest boxes?

[MaureenHall]

Well I'm really pleased with my ex-batt girls at the moment. For the last 2 nights they've all slept on the perches, and that's something my other girls never did! They're still not laying eggs though Maybe they don't like the nest boxes?

[dozey1]

My aren't laying either i have 4 and only 1 is laying at the mo... I think they are broody, i have put a rubber egg in but no joy...

[MaureenHall]

Mine have a pot egg in one of the nest boxes, but they've ignored it totally! I might do some hard-boiled eggs and put 1 in each box and see if they favour any particular one. Huge coop with 4 nest boxes, only 7 girls - it still looks empty!!!! I just might need to get another 3 ex-batts methinks