16 to 17 week old pullets sleeping change

[DonO]

I have 8 various breed chickens (rocks, RIRs, sexlinks) all of them were roosting at night up until about two weeks ago. Since then they all crowd together in the two nesting boxes and sleep in a pile? A friend of mine with chickens says this is a bad behavior to allow/promote. Should I be blocking of the nesting box until they move back to the roosts?

Roosts are 2X4 mounted sideways so they have the wide side up.
Chickens are all 16 to 17 weeks old. (none laying yet)

thanks

DonO

 

[chickee]

You can block the nesting boxes or when it gets dark put them back on the roost every night until they stay there on their own. Putting them on the roost has worked the best for me. Sometimes if you block the nesting boxes they sleep on the floor. There might be a reason their behavior has changed, such as something has frightened them or mites on the roosts are biting them? Might take investigative work on your part. I noticed you are using 2x4's~ best to use round dowel for the best grip and comfort for a chickens feet. GOOD LUCK!

 

[flgardengirl]

I wonder if something scared them during the night a few weeks ago or if there is something that has been wandering around thier coop on a nightly basis that has been scaring them? It seems odd that all of a sudden they are huddling when they used to roost. If it was winter and cold outside that would be one thing but it is summer so I don't think they are cold.

 

[crittersitter]

I'd block the nesting box and check your coop.make sure everything looks ok. Using a 2x4 roost is fine. They can sit on their own feet and keep them warm in the winter.

 

[DonO]

Thanks for the replies.
I am using the 2x4's in an attempt to give them a wide enough roost that their feathers will cover their feet in the winter. We have a substantial amount of winter in Utah. I have cleaned and searched for evidence of mites and I can't find anything. I am also using a dusting of de in their pine shavings in the coop. I guess I am going to block of the lay boxes for the next couple of weeks and get them back on the roosts.

DonO