It went like a dream!

For two evenings I left the bin bag on Dandelion’s perch and she perched next to Cinnamon as I had hoped she would.

Dandelion and Cinnamon perch together

The chicks in their box

Meanwhile the chicks were sleeping like this. I had to give up trying to get them to perch because, as they grew to fill the box, it made it impossible to pick them out of the box without a major disturbance to them.

This could have been a waste of time but it will now come in handy next summer for Blue to perch here when the automatic door opens at five in the morning. It wouldn’t be good for the neighbours to have a cockerel crowing at five in the morning and I could delay letting him out until seven instead.

I decided that I would remove the box the following day so that the chicks would be easier to pick up in the evening.

Last night I waited to see if Dandelion would continue to perch with Cinnamon or would revert back to her original perch. I know how difficult it is to break chicken habits and thought it would probably be fifty fifty.

I popped up to see where she had perched and was elated to find her next to Cinnamon. Hurrah! what a good girl. After only two nights she had got the hang of it. I was so pleased with her.

Dandelion had perched next to Cinnamon again

I left it until half past nine, when the automatic door had closed, before trying to move the chicks. I picked up Blue first and placed him on the right hand perch. I then picked up Sienna and placed her next to Blue. I then picked up little Jasmine and added her to the perch. I took one quick photo and then left them to settle.

I put the chicks on the perch in the chicken shed

I popped back ten minutes later to check that they were still on the perch before locking up for the night. They had moved closer together and looked so sweet in a tight little line. They looked really settled.

This will be so much better for the chicks. It will be cooler than sleeping in their box and they won’t be on top of any poop.

I am so pleased with how easy this has been. The next step is to train the chicks to go here by themselves. Today I will remove their little coop. I will clean it out and return it to the patio area as a nest box once more.

Tonight I plan on herding the chicks towards the pop hole and I will see if they jump up to the perch on their own. If not I will help them. I think this may take a little longer but I am confident that they will soon get the hang of it.