More perch training

It's been a few weeks since the pullets moved in to their new mini-coop. The new pad included perches, but the birdies were using them as a daytime jungle gym rather than a nightly roost.

After my co-worker took her nine home last week I thought maybe the group would get a little more adventurous with the extra space. Not so. Instead they spent their nights huddled together on the floor of the pen, in the corner furthest from the window. My coworker told me hers took to their perch the first night in her coop, so I thought a little lesson was in order.

I waited until dusk to carry out the lesson plan. Just enough light to see what I was doing, but dark enough that the birds wouldn't be interested in leaving their new post. One by one I scooped them up and put them on the perches - five in the middle and three on the lower, only because I couldn't reach the top.

I flipped on the barn lights quick to get the horses fed, and one unsettled bird decided it preferred to be on the ground. Lights went back out. Scooped up the errant pupil. Put it back on the lower perch. Then take a picture and hope the flash doesn't disturb them too bad.

Working for elbow-err, wing- room

If I flipped the lights on they pullets would start getting restless and looking at the ground. Rather than risk another repeat lesson the lights stayed off while the horses finished eating (which they were NOT happy about).

Would it work? I went back out about 10 p.m. and everybirdy was still on the perch I placed them.

The next morning I went out early to feed the horses, hoping to catch the pullets on the perch. Two were on the ground, but the others were getting restless and joined them soon.

The big test was that night. Would they take to the perches on their own?

I would say yes.

Now if they could get up there in one flying leap. For now they are still using the temporary perch, about waist high, to leap-frog onto the permanent ladder-style perch. I'll probably "take off the training wheels" and remove the temporary low perch in a week or so. I can only take so many knocks to the head when I duck under it to scoop up one of the birds.