chickens sleeping on top of one another.

[mydanet]

Hi All,,,,,I have a flock of 13 Chickens 7 Bantams and 6 standard. They live in a coup that is 4 x 8 with 3 external nest boxs. The also have a attached 8 x 16 run. My problem (if its a problem) is these chickens all squeeze into 2 nest boxes to sleep. There about 12 weeks old now when they were say 8-10 weeks old they would sleep on top on one another at the entrance of the coup. What gives? The coup and run are very secure the coup is clean and well ventilated. During the day when I allow them to free range they have there normal squabbles (pecking order) but at night they seem happy sleeping in a pile. Is this behavior normal? Thanks in advance for any advice. John

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hi All,,,,,I have a flock of 13 Chickens 7 Bantams and 6 standard. They live in a coup that is 4 x 8 with 3 external nest boxs. The also have a attached 8 x 16 run. My problem (if its a problem) is these chickens all squeeze into 2 nest boxes to sleep. There about 12 weeks old now when they were say 8-10 weeks old they would sleep on top on one another at the entrance of the coup. What gives? The coup and run are very secure the coup is clean and well ventilated. During the day when I allow them to free range they have there normal squabbles (pecking order) but at night they seem happy sleeping in a pile. Is this behavior normal? Thanks in advance for any advice. John

Welcome to BYC!
This is perfectly normal - but also very undesirable. Piling is fine, piling into the nest boxes is not -- the reason being that you don't want them to form a habit of sleeping in the nest boxes. Next boxes are for egg laying only, that is what you want them to learn. The issue is that a sleeping bird expels a LOT of waste overnight - and if they are sleeping in the nest boxes that is where that waste accumulates. Pretty soon you have poopy nest boxes and that means, when the eggs start rolling in, you will have poopy eggs!
Since the birds are not laying age, it is easy enough to just block access to the nest boxes -- this will allow the birds to mature into a roosting habit and find the roosts to form good sleeping habits in the weeks between now and when they begin to lay. Once they start showing signs of being ready to lay, or even after you get the first egg or two, you can open the nests.

 

[ChickenGrass]

If there that young its normal
When I had chicks at that age
All 6 of them would pile up
I think it's just a chick thing!
If they keep doing it it's fine
It's not a problem

 

[mydanet]

Thanks for the replies. I have been toying with the idea of blocking the nest boxs, I'll do that as soon as it stops raining. Thanks so much. John