Bed time drama?

[TeenageRooster's Dad]

My coop is pretty small, probably 5'x5' with a perch and 6 nesting boxes. I only have 9 chickens, including Baby Rooster, to my knowledge seems sufficient space wise. Plus two girls always sleep on the roof, still hot at night here.

But the drama at bedtime is unbelievable! Everyone is trying to shmooze with Baby Rooster, he gets pissed, walks away and girls just peck at each other.

My larger girls sleep on the perch but the "lower on the pecking order" girls get picked on a lot and eventually give up.

I'm wondering if this is normal or if my coop is due for an upgrade.

Thank you!

 

[Kfults]

That doesn’t seem like a lot of space for 9 chickens and not enough perch space for them. You only need 1 nesting box for every 4 girls. Could you remove a few nesting boxes and add more perch space. Add an additional perch for the lower ranking girls to use?

 

[lilmillefleur]

I think your coop is due for an upgrade either way
It’s always a nice thing to give your chickens the extra space they need

 

[meetthebubus]

Let me say, you could have a mansion and they will still want to stay close together yet fight.
I've noticed for mine they are meaner when hungry still atnight,a molting, or it's finally cooling down so they have more energy to fight

My solution to get them to settle down works wonders...

I play a YouTube video of a eagle or hawk screech on my phone kinda far away from them it only takes 7 seconds for the roo to give the keep quiet signal and they all hush and hurry to get up


I only do this if the squabbles are bad so they don't get used to it or stressed
You might have to do it a few times at first but I think soon they stop at least mine did

 

[CannedMonster]

General recommendation is 4 square feet per bird in the coop and 10 square feet per bird in the run.
That coop is for about 3 birds.
There would probably be less pecking with more space but bedtime tends to be contentious for just about any flock.
I have a 10 x 6 foot coop and there’s still some squabbling but not too bad.

 

[TeenageRooster's Dad]

Let me say, you could have a mansion and they will still want to stay close together yet fight.
I've noticed for mine they are meaner when hungry still atnight,a molting, or it's finally cooling down so they have more energy to fight

My solution to get them to settle down works wonders...

I play a YouTube video of a eagle or hawk screech on my phone kinda far away from them it only takes 7 seconds for the roo to give the keep quiet signal and they all hush and hurry to get up

I only do this if the squabbles are bad so they don't get used to it or stressed
You might have to do it a few times at first but I think soon they stop at least mine did

LOL... very clever, I play the "best of Freddie Kurger" when my 5 yo stalls at bedtime... j/k don't call CPS yet .

Thanks all, good feeback. I've got plans already to expand the coop, looks like today will be the day. Funny thing thought is there wasn't any fussing in the winter, they would all schmooze together, I guess cold does have some benefits

 

[aart]

It's the RoostTimeRumble......happen even with a well established flock.
But your coop is rather small for 9 birds.

Funny thing thought is there wasn't any fussing in the winter, they would all schmooze together,

You had 9 in there last winter?

I play a YouTube video of a eagle or hawk screech on my phone kinda far away from them it only takes 7 seconds for the roo to give the keep quiet signal and they all hush and hurry to get up