Do my 8 day old chicks need something to perch on yet?

[doodle chicks]

How soon do I put a perch in the brooder? Can it wait till they go in their ark when they are around 10 weeks?

 

[six little chicks]

Hi- I'm no expert, but when my chicks came home they were about a week old. After they go used to us and their surroundings, I found a perch for made out of an tree branch that was about an inch in diameter and a piece of bark that it fit in perfectly and they loved it. It was so funny to see all six of them squashed on it, one would get off and the others would get spread out then she would come back and end up knocking two off to get her spot back. Recently I moved my chicks to one of the plastic horse trough water bins and I put a piece of 2x4 across the width of it on the grooves, they now will not sleep any where else but on the make shift roost.

My opinion is that you should do what you are comfortable with doing. I would say go for it. It will also give them something to entertain themselves with.

 

[doodle chicks]

Thanks! I'll go out in the garden now and find a nice stick! They didn't like the little toy ball we put in their brooder but they like to peck at plastic bottle tops!

 

[pgpoultry]

If they were under mum they would not perch for a number of weeks (sometimes months), but in a brooder they will use a sti placed on the ground as a perch,
Sandie

 

[SkyWarrior]

My guys didn't start perching until about 6-8 weeks. YMMV.