# Chicks learning to perch



## meagan1823 (Feb 2, 2014)

So I was wondering when chicks should be able to perch and grip with their feet?
My chick is now 4 weeks old and I didn't know if I should put perches in the nest box so he could start strengthening his feet.
I get him out everyday and try to get him to perch on my finger but so far he isn't so good at it. Somehow one of more toes don't like to cooperate. I can tell he is getting better but I didn't know at about what age he should be perching? I just want to make sure he is developing properly.
Thanks


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## LaurulCat (Jan 4, 2014)

Much too soon. Between six and eight weeks they begin to move around and then very soon they start climbing out of the nest box and trying to perch every where. Until about six or seven weeks they are do doppy they trip over their own feet when they try and move around the nestbox.

You can, of course, handle them to start the taming process, but always make sure they are secure on a flat surface and watch very closely because they can move backwards much faster than they can forwards and they will fall off surfaces very easily and they splat on the floor very hard.

I used to start handling my babies at eight days; starting with just picking them up and holding them for three minutes maximum once a day. I increased the holding time by a minute or two a day until they were starting to move around the nest box on their own. No matter how much you acclimate them to your presence, when they turn about nine or ten weeks they go through a stange phase where they are afraid of everything; about when they fledge in the wild, and they hiss at everything and panic at any thing hulking over them. Within a another two weeks, they settle down again and adjust, realizing you are not going to hurt them.


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## blueybluesky (Jul 9, 2013)

Bear was practicing to fly and coming out the nest box in between 4 and 5 weeks old and got to the perch on his own and my current chick at the moment is starting to perch on his own to and he's 4 and a bit weeks, he's not flying yet but is perching I let him do it because he climbs out my hand on his own and grips my finger so I occasionally put him on a perch and he's able to stretch a leg out with his wing and preen himself while keeping balance on the perch.

But my guess is that all babies learn at their own pace and your little one will start letting you know when he's ready


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