Perches - when and how big?

[Celticdragonfly]

So we are about to build our brooder box for 3 chicks we'll have soon - once the heater has arrived.
I see directions that by a certain number of weeks, you need to have dowels in there for perches so that they learn to perch.

QUESTIONS -

A) does it matter if you have the perch there from the beginning?

B) How big a dowel?

C) How high off the bottom of the brooder box?

And - when you are looking at coops, how high off the bottom should their perches be?

 

[sylviethecochin]

a.) Nope, it does not.
b.) Quite large is fine. Chickens will perch on flat surfaces, if they can. Wrapping their toes the whole way around the bar can give them cramps in their toes, I'm told.
c.)A few (3-4) inches should do well enough. Mine enjoy the exercise of jumping onto their feeder, so they can handle higher heights.

 

[blackdog043]

A) does it matter if you have the perch there from the beginning?
No you can put it in there whenever you want to

B) How big a dowel?
I use a tree branch, about 1 1/2 inches round

C) How high off the bottom of the brooder box?
Mine is about 5 inches high

And - when you are looking at coops, how high off the bottom should their perches be?
Above the nest boxes, so they don't roost and poop in them. Chickens will roost in the highest place they can get to in the coop.

 

[chickens really]

I don't use dowels. I put in firewood logs. And a 2x4 nailed to tree stumps. They don't Roost much till 3 to 4 weeks. They like to jump up on things when playing.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

If you’re going to be using a brooder heating plate, they’ll roost on that from day one! (Cover it with the press and seal Saran Wrap to make it easier to clean. - Best advice I ever got!)

We also had a short roost that was about fourteen inches off the floor of the brooder made from scrap lumber and a tree limb. They loved it and used it from the time they were about three and a half weeks old or so...

 

[Callender Girl]

My two-week-old Buckeye chicks are awaiting their new, bigger brooder and roost. In the meantime, they are happy to perch on top of their waterer and my hands and arms when I reach in.

 

[Celticdragonfly]

I don't use dowels. I put in firewood logs. And a 2x4 nailed to tree stumps. They don't Roost much till 3 to 4 weeks. They like to jump up on things when playing.

I'm thinking you must have a MUCH bigger brooder area than we're expecting.

 

[chickens really]

I'm thinking you must have a MUCH bigger brooder area than we're expecting.

How many and how long you plan to Brood indoors helps too.

 

[Celticdragonfly]

How many and how long you plan to Brood indoors helps too.

3, and 6 to 8 weeks.

 

[Kiki]

I hatched out a couple of chicks today.
Tomorrow they will get a slim tree branch perch about one inch from the floor. I will raise it every couple of days.
They will be outside within a week.