Suspended chicken coop- why not?

[duluthralphie]

I wish I could get my chickens to use those, they just seem to beg me for water if I try to use those. They refuse to click on them.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

I wish I could get my chickens to use those, they just seem to beg me for water if I try to use those. They refuse to click on them.

Mine appear to have taken to them. Try putting molasses on them and showing them what they are. They'll figure it out.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Good points. I'll spin them vertical and drill a hole when I get home. Ilk have to move them when I expand the run.

 

[duluthralphie]

Mine appear to have taken to them. Try putting molasses on them and showing them what they are. They'll figure it out.

My chickens do not like to be touched/held. If I try to hold them or show them the nipples they will spend their whole time fighting to escape. I have semi-tame birds.

 

[User395221]

My chickens do not like to be touched/held. If I try to hold them or show them the nipples they will spend their whole time fighting to escape. I have semi-tame birds.

If you draped a piece of lettuce (or some other bit of something they'd be interested in) over the pipe right next to the molasses, they might locate it.

 

[aart]

Quote: It can take time...a lot of time. Some figure it out quickly and some take weeks.
If you can't hold the bird to tap it's beak against the trigger, yeah and most hate that, just keep tapping at it until they figure it out.
You only need a couple of them to 'get it' and the rest often follow suit.

Oh, and you have to remove any other source of water while 'training'.

I prefer the horizontal nipples, fr many reasons, but those are almost harder to train to as it takes more effort on the birds part to get the water to flow.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

My chickens do not like to be touched/held. If I try to hold them or show them the nipples they will spend their whole time fighting to escape. I have semi-tame birds.

Mine are a bit averse to touch, but they have a Pavlovian response to my approach in the morning. Before I even get to the coop I can hear them clucking and moving to the door. I can touch them but they're very weary of it

 

[enrgizerbunny]

Update/improvements. Opinions on my changes?

Added a cover to the nesting boxes, just trying to make it uncomfortable to stand in them and poop all over. Also added a roost from a limb I cut off of a tree I don't care for.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

So. How do I keep them from poop ing in the nesting boxes?

 

[aart]

So. How do I keep them from poop ing in the nesting boxes?

Are they sleeping in the nests?
Are they laying yet?