Can Australorp fly to their perch

[JackieMay]

I am a member of a cooperative in the Netherlands that grows its own fruit and veg, and will also keep chickens, cows and pigs. However, we're most of us city people and thus inexperienced. Therefore we empoly a professional farmer, but we do a lot of research ourselves.

We are considering acquiring 250 Australorp, for their egg laying potential and their meat. A professional coop builder is in the process of building us a coop. However, I am concerned about the perches, some of which are quite high. I read that Australorp are not very good at flying plus they're fairly heavy. Will they be able to reach the highest perch?

 

[swamphiker]

High perches are okay as long as there are some lower perches for them to use to climb up and down. That way they can get up with a couple of hops and also don't have as far to fall on the way down. Make sure there is space for them to land. Another tip: use fairly wide pieces of wood as roosts, chickens prefer to roost with their feet flat rather than curled around a skinny stick.

 

[JackieMay]

Thank you, swamphiker. Your post gives me grounds to contact the builder and ask for the construction to be made less steep, so that the chickens can more easily hop from one perch to the next. I have attached their brochure, which features a photograph.

 

[NatJ]

However, I am concerned about the perches, some of which are quite high. I read that Australorp are not very good at flying plus they're fairly heavy. Will they be able to reach the highest perch?

How high are you talking about?

The height of your knees-- no problem.

The height of your waist-- probably fine.

The height of your head-- try to have a lower perch they can use as a step on the way up.

Higher than your head-- convenient for people to walk underneath, but the Australorps probably will have trouble getting up there.

 

[JackieMay]

Hi NatJ,

I've managed to isolate the picture from the brochure. First there is a grid like pedestal, I'd say knee height. Then there is the construction with the perches, which to me seems fairly steep. I think there is 50-70 cms between each perch.

 

[NatJ]

Hi NatJ,

I've managed to isolate the picture from the brochure. First there is a grid like pedestal, I'd say knee height. Then there is the construction with the perches, which to me seems fairly steep. I think there is 50-70 cms between each perch.

I see yellow things along the left side-- are those waterers?

If chickens can stand on the grid and reach those yellow things to drink, then the whole perch structure is probably a fine height, since they can stand on the pedestal and then fly up to the perches. The top perch is only about twice as high as those yellow things (counting from the pedestal that has a grid top), and Australorps should be able to fly twice as high as they can reach to drink.

If chickens sleep on several levels of the perch, the lower ones will get pooped on by the higher ones, because chickens poop a lot while they sleep. But if they all sleep on the top level, that should be fine.

 

[JackieMay]

I see yellow things along the left side-- are those waterers?

If chickens can stand on the grid and reach those yellow things to drink, then the whole perch structure is probably a fine height, since they can stand on the pedestal and then fly up to the perches. The top perch is only about twice as high as those yellow things (counting from the pedestal that has a grid top), and Australorps should be able to fly twice as high as they can reach to drink.

If chickens sleep on several levels of the perch, the lower ones will get pooped on by the higher ones, because chickens poop a lot while they sleep. But if they all sleep on the top level, that should be fine.

Yes, the yellow thingies are waterers. Thanks for your reply.

This coop is suitable for 100 chickens, I'm not sure if they will all fit on the top row. On the other hand, I've heard that chickens like to snuggle up to each other, so maybe they will fit.

 

[NatJ]

Yes, the yellow thingies are waterers.

Then I think the height should be fine.

This coop is suitable for 100 chickens, I'm not sure if they will all fit on the top row. On the other hand, I've heard that chickens like to snuggle up to each other, so maybe they will fit.

Hmm, that's a good point.
I would suggest you ask the professional farmer, or the coop builder, about that.
In the US, we are advised to allow one foot per chicken on the roost.
That would be about 30 centimeters per chicken.
I can't tell how long the perch is in the photo, so I don't know if it's long enough or not.

 

[JackieMay]

I estimate the length at 5 metres. Times 6 perches would result in 30 metres, so 30 cms (approx. 1 foot) per chicken. But that's when they use the whole structure. They're certainly not going to all fit on the top perches. That's when the pecking order comes into play.