chick perching/roosting so young

[playmeasong]

Hi all,
I'm the proud owners of 13 week old chicks (Ideal sent a bunch of males to keep my pullets warm!), and for fun, I put a 1.5"x.5"x3' piece of wood inside to see what they'd do, and most of them are perching on it, some slept on it today, and others are using it to hop and try to fly. Is there any reason why I can't keep it in from now on, or should I wait until at least 2 weeks? I don't want to damage their legs, but these buggers seem very strong and have been held a lot, so they're getting used to being picked up and put down.

Thanks!

 

[ArcticFox]

13 week old or 13 days old? I thought I read someplace that you can put a low perch in with the chicks at 2 weeks old?

 

[Gindee77]

The perch in my brooder is a bit high for my week old chicks. I didn't think they could use it yet, but today I found one of my RIR chicks on it. I think it was just a fluke. But I am a bit worried and may take the perch out for another week. Of course, if they can get on it, I guess they can get off of it.

 

[BradyMSU]

My chicks are 23 days old now and about half of them are roosting. I had a chick roosting on my fourth rung 48" off the floor at 13 days old.

 

[ebonykawai]

Mine are going on 6 weeks and just started sleeping on the roosts in their coop. I thought that was early and it surprised me. Actually, my roo is still on the floor under the heat lamp. He's not as feathered as the girls. His sister sleeps with him, lol. She's his best friend.

 

[debakadeb]

Mine are 3 1/2 weeks old. Some of them like to stay on the roost..other's do not. Hope it's okay for them to be up there..never entered my mind that it might not be okay. The roost is not very high and I don't think they stay up there for hours but they sure like it

 

[Frizzledhen]

I have a banty cochin who hatched out 2 standard EEs. At 10 days old, they were let out to run with the other banties in the coop. That first night I found mom and the 2 chicks sleeping on the roost with dad and all their aunts. Mom had one under each wing. I have another pen with chicks that are 9 and 11 weeks old. These chicks were bator hatched. They still sleep on the floor all huddled together. They do play on the roost during the day but sleep on the floor at night.

 

[dacjohns]

My current batch of chicks is about 2 weeks old now. I have a 1 1/4 inch wooden rod in the brooder 1 to 2 inches above the litter that they like to perch on. From early on they perched on the feeders. Makes a mess. I don't know if they're too young or not or what problems early perching/roosting might cause.

 

[ruth]

I put a perch in box with chicks from day one and they get right on it and start using it. Later as they are moved to hutches and finally the coop they always go for the roosts.

For a brooder for new hatchlings or day olds I use a large cardboard moving box. Take a wooden pants hanger and break off the wooden dowel and shove it diagonally through a corner of the box. The ends stick out of box but inside box, in corner, is a nice little perch for them to start using.

They're birds from birth and love to perch.

 

[pookiethebear]

My RIRs are almost 2 weeks old and last night I went to 'tuck them in' for the night and they were all lined up perched on top of the feeder! It was so cute. Sorry there was no way I was going to get a pic of that. They come running when they hear me enter the room.