7 week old chicks still in brooder overnight- behavior changes

[April0617]

No idea if this would help or not, as I'm on my first batch of chicks ever and they haven't done this... But do they have somewhere to roost in their brooder box? Mine are 5 weeks and don't sleep under their heart plate anymore, most of them sleep on a branch I put in the box and a couple sleep on top of their plate. A total uneducated guess but maybe, because they are getting older and are outside during the day, the instinct to roost at night is kicking in?

 

[Yardmom]

Hope your night temps warm soon, but they should be ok to move out.

 

[Kaesi2020]

No idea if this would help or not, as I'm on my first batch of chicks ever and they haven't done this... But do they have somewhere to roost in their brooder box? Mine are 5 weeks and don't sleep under their heart plate anymore, most of them sleep on a branch I put in the box and a couple sleep on top of their plate. A total uneducated guess but maybe, because they are getting older and are outside during the day, the instinct to roost at night is kicking in?

Thanks! I have a few sturdy branches in there that they usually choose to perch on but for some reason they are all cuddled and smooshed into a corner on the floor of the brooder. Thankfully they are resting and calm now but definitely strange behavior before. I think I may need to start keeping them out in the coop at night earlier than planned. Thanks for your reply!

 

[Kaesi2020]

Hope your night temps warm soon, but they should be ok to move out.

I think you're right! I am going to keep them in the coop at night starting tomorrow.

 

[Jenwisp]

Mine are only 3 weeks. I do have roosts made in there for them. I put a cat ball with a bell in it. I've got deer netting over the top because earlier this week they were doing their hen thing trying to fly out. I switched to the brinsea ecoglow this week and I was thinking maybe they miss the light it made? I have to remind them the brinsea has heat. Once they are under it they calm down, but getting to that point is worrisome.

I was wondering if it was a combo of them really liking being outside and missing the light.