Can Silkies perch?

[Suechooks]

My rescued Muddy Silkies (now nice and clean and fluffy) don't seem able to get up on the perch at night and after I lift them on they can't jump down in the mornings!
In their previous "home" they lived in an open broody box with only the lip on the door for all of them to roost on. I then put them in a separate ark to recover and quarantine so they really haven't had much opportunity to sleep on perches. My perches are about 2' off the ground so although I know they can't fly because of their open feathers I thought they'd be able to jump on and off like the others do.
Maybe I'm being too impatient but just wondered if anyone has them and if they can in fact perch?

[polo]

Yes they can. When I looked after my friends Silkie it perched. The perch in my spare ark is only 4" of the floor and she had no problems with that. I doubt very much whether she would have got up to a 2' high one though.

Have you any pics of the new clean fluffy silkies?

Polo

[Nicos]

My thoughts are- why shouldn't they be able to perch???..and then I thought...hmm...maybe they've no idea cos no-one has shown them...and also...maybe their muscles aren't so well developed??
I bet in a couple of weeks they'd be brill at it- with a bit of care and attention from you!

Can you provide them with a sort of ladder for now????

[RichmondHens]

Perhaps you need to provide a lower perch? I know 2' is not high, but to a little Silkie with no prior practice of perching they might be taking the easier option of sitting on the floor. I'm sure they'll get the hang of it eventually.

[Suechooks]

They can jump on straw bales and boxes etc but they have very few "social skills" anyway - they were fine in the ark and put themselves to bed but since I mixed them in with the other little girls and Alfie they seem to have lost their way completely. They're not being bullied overmuch in fact they're quite feisty and vocal.
I do have a small perch in there too (about 2-3") but they don't seem fussed about that either and just pile in the corner nesting area.
I'll just keep putting them up each night and see how they go. If all else fails I'll lower one of the 2 high perches. Will post a photo soon.

[Bramble-Poultry]

sue, lower the perch. in this day and age no one can afford chicken on higher perches!!

seriously though, my silkies could perch no problems, but the perches were only 1' - 18" off the ground max. my silkies also had full feathers on their wings, but not on their body. So they should be able to glide if nothing else?

[Suechooks]

Well 2 of them got off the perch ok this morning. Only the pullet sat there wingeing! So I lifted her off to much squawking and screeching! They do have proper feathers on their wings so I guess its just a matter of persevering till they get the message.