Will a chicken sit on a wire?

[Memasue]

Hi, My daughter just started raising chichens. She loves loves sitting with them before and after work. So for her B-day I'm restoring an old wood and iron bench for chicken area. My question is, if I string a wire 1-3" above the backrest (side to side) would that keep them off the backrest?

 

[nuthatched]

I think it would hurt their feet. Maybe a dowel?
Edit, I thought you were trying to encourage sitting. Yep a wire will work.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Hi, My daughter just started raising chichens. She loves loves sitting with them before and after work. So for her B-day I'm restoring an old wood and iron bench for chicken area. My question is, if I string a wire 1-3" above the backrest (side to side) would that keep them off the backrest?

I wouldnt do a wire, i agree with nuthatched. Also, congratulations for you and your daughter! Im sure the chickens love her. As long as shes patient with the, they will love her lots.

 

[DobieLover]

Hi, My daughter just started raising chichens. She loves loves sitting with them before and after work. So for her B-day I'm restoring an old wood and iron bench for chicken area. My question is, if I string a wire 1-3" above the backrest (side to side) would that keep them off the backrest?

Yes, suspending a wire over the backrest of the bench will keep them from perching there.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Yes, suspending a wire over the backrest of the bench will keep them from perching there.

Yes, you should make sure its smooth and such so they cant get bumblefoot (if i read the threat right)

 

[DobieLover]

Yes, you should make sure its smooth and such so they cant get bumblefoot (if i read the threat right)

They won't perch on a thin wire. They need a solid surface to land on. I suspended a wire over a gate to keep my chickens from landing on the top of the gate and jumping out of their pen.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Mostly not, but there's always that one chicken...

I use "snow fence" and high tension steel wire to keep my birds separated. You can see my flock below, in my sig. At any given moment, there may be between 12 and 30 birds in my "grow out" pen. The snow fence is only 4' tall, a few of my birds are willing to fly over it to get to the premium feed inside. (My grow out birds get 24% protien, the adult flock gets 20%).

I added two lines of high tension steel wire, 14 ga, like you would use for electric fencing. Spaced 3" above the snow fence, and 3" above that. Stopped all of my birds, but one. She will fly to the top, perch for a moment, then jump down. And she's busy training others....

So it works. Until it doesn't. and for some breeds, it will work forever. "Big" birds either can't fly to it, or can't perch on it - most of my older birds have been unable to repat the one's feat. That F'n SLW, however, and one of her offspring...

 

[Chicken poppy]

They won't perch on a thin wire. They need a solid surface to land on. I suspended a wire over a gate to keep my chickens from landing on the top of the gate and jumping out of their pen.

Oh yeah. I thought the wire was a bit thicker. yeah if its thin they cant get bumblefoot, as long as it not sharp and pointy or anything it should be fine.

 

[Huntmaster]

Hi, My daughter just started raising chichens. She loves loves sitting with them before and after work. So for her B-day I'm restoring an old wood and iron bench for chicken area. My question is, if I string a wire 1-3" above the backrest (side to side) would that keep them off the backrest?

Yes it should keep them off I wouldn't string it to tight leave it a little loose it will be very unstable. But not to loose that they can push it away and still get to back rest.

 

[Memasue]

Thank You! I had not thought of making it a little on the loose side! But that makes a lot of sence. I’ll share a photo after we set it up. Sue