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Welcome to BackYard Chickens! We hope you enjoy your stay. There is a ton of useful information on here. If you have a question, be sure to make a post about it, the members here will be happy to help!

Amphitecna said:
1- is it possible they don't really know how to be chickens yet? The breeder had them inside a barn in large pens, split up by size- the Sussex were in the same pen as the Cendrée and Coucou de Rennes -other birds/breeds were in other pens. There were no perches- just some sort of hay-like floor covering and their food/water containers.
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All chickens know how to be chickens, but when they are young it is a learning curve, just as it is a learning curve for human children. Chicks need to start perching at as little as few weeks, though, why did you not have a perch set up for them already?

Amphitecna said:
They are weak fliers and we clipped their feathers. But I also feel like they just have no idea that perching is a good thing.

Should I be worried, or will they sort it all out?
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Chickens can still fly when they have their wings clipped, I have seen them on videos flying over a relatively tall gate after clipping. And no, you should not be worried. You need to stop worrying about your chickens so much on that part. They are chickens and they know what they are, they just need to learn by themselves.

Amphitecna said:
They also don't seem interested in worms or slugs, but again, maybe they'll sort that out too?
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Your chickens not being interested in insects and worms isn't a problem. They know what they are, but they don't want to waste their time on catching them when they can eat the unmoving feed that you have lay out for them. Mine aren't interested in catching them either, and that is a sign of them being fed well.
 
Welcome on BYC (and peeps in Europe).
:frow

You got some good advices and tips but not everything that is wise in the US, is wise in EU.
Other predators, risks on parasites, laws and climate are things that makes keeping chickens here a bit different. And also important are your personal preferences you learn in time. Everyone keeps chickens in a way thats fits best.
TwoCrows said:
Pretty birds! ❤ However you need to cover that chicken wire with hardware cloth or welded wire, chicken wire is extremely flimsy and anything can rip that apart at night and eat your birds. Mice and rats can shimmy right in as well, snakes too. And I'd put a roof over the entire thing to keep rain out, too much sun.

They will learn a routine eventually, and you may need to train them to use the roost bar by placing them up there at bedtime.

Enjoy your flock!
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In Europe chicken wire is safe for the bigger predators we have here. Foxes, dogs and hawks are the most common larger predators. If the chicken wire is 5 cm you need more protection in the night (close the coop) against polecats, pine marten, rats and ferrets.
I cant see on the photo if you have wire in the ground, but you need to make it impossible for predators to dig underneath.
Amphitecna said:
Our city is smallish, but we are in an increasingly urban setting. Lucky enough to have 700 m2 for our yard though. Once the ladies finish getting used to their new environment, they will be free ranging. I am looking forward to having company as I garden.
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This is a great garden for free ranging. Hope there are no plant with pesticides . In general poisonous plants are not a problem. Chickens eating flower is if you like garden with all kind of lovely flowers.

After a week in custody, you can let them free range in the evening an hour or two before sunset snd build it up quickly. Buy some scratch and give some if the enter the run in the evening. This way the are eager to come inside. Chickens learn easily if you give yummie food as a reward.


Amphitecna said:
We have some perches in the run, but I'm not sure they're actually low enough to be accessible (this is a point of discussion between my handy-man husband and myself). They are weak fliers and we clipped their feathers. But I also feel like they just have no idea that perching is a good thing.

Should I be worried, or will they sort it all out?
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You can learn chickens to roost by putting then on a roost every evening after dark. If the roost are not high (say 10 or 20 cm), it should not be a problem to jump up.

Shelter for nasty winds is nice, covering the run is not. Drainage is. If you get the rain in and add a little greens and a lit of browns to the soil ( dried/autumn leaves and fine chopped wood ), the poop disappears into the soil. Insects and worms (the good ones) break the poop down and the soil stays healthy that way.

Warning tip: we have many red mites in bird populations in Europe near the coast (mild sea climate). Do take precautions and check weekly to avoid a mite infestation that gets you out of control. Most people get it within 5 years. If you discover it early its doable to eliminate them.

Enjoy your chickens! They are really great creatures to have around.
 
Thanks everybody for all your insights! That's why I'm here.

I was interested in the comments about reinforcing the wire because no-one else has done that here, that I know of. Just wire roof, and yes, there is buried wire to discourage the foxes. We do have martens though, and the coop should be marten-proof- in theory at least.

I have been warned about the mites, and am keeping my eye out for them.

My garden is organic, as are my neighbours- no nasty nasty's in there. I'm excited to watch them discover their greater territory once they can. There's lots of good places to hang out. I am a bit worried about them going over the fences though, so until they have convinced me that they can't or they won't, they will be supervised.
 

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