Big Pile of Chickens?

[chickenbee]

Hello Everyone. This is my first post here.

My chicken coop consists of a chicken sized door next to a people sized door. For the last few days I have gone out to shut the coop up for the night and I have have witnessed a huge pile or ball of chickens sitting at the chicken door. Tonight I watched their behavior closely and what I saw was this:

Some chickens head into the coop via the chicken door and then perch in the door. Others come by and step over them to get in. Eventually the amount of chickens sitting at the door reaches 15+ and they start to come in using the people door (which was open because of the heat). These chickens go the the back of the line sitting in front of the chicken door and push their way to the front causing several chickens to fall out the door. The ones that just fell out go back in though the people door and go to the end of the pile causing more to fall out. This just keeps happening over and over again. Eventually I closed both doors and they seemed to pile into one big ball right in front of the chicken door. A bit comical but I am worried that something is wrong or they might get hurt piling up like this.

I have been raising chickens for around 12 years now but this is the first time I have encountered this type of strange behavior. It is also worth mentioning that in the past I have always had Rhode Island Reds but this year I switch over to Bared Plymouth Rocks. Currently I have 35 chickens. They are six weeks old and 25 of them are pullets.

Any ideas?

 

[cavemanrich]

Do you have roost areas in your coop ???

Post some pictures and maybe someone might see something with an answer.

But above all

 

[Percheron chick]

How old are the chicks and how hot is the coop?

 

[chickenbee]

Do you have roost areas in your coop ???

Post some pictures and maybe someone might see something with an answer.

I have a roosting area that consists of two eight foot long 2x4's in a stepped setup. Below this is a droppings pit. I see the chickens roosting at the highest level during the day but they don't go there to roost at night yet.

The coop is the same design that have used for the last 12 years. I have had several flocks in this same coop over the years and I have not experienced this behavior.

I don't have a photo of the whole coop setup or the perches but I did take a couple photos of them all piled up. I apologize for the clarity, it was completely dark in there when I took these.



The chickens are piled up next to the chicken door. The people door is open in the photo and you can see a chicken outside trying to get in through the people door. The roost and droppings pit is directly behind the chickens in both photos.

How old are the chicks and how hot is the coop?

The chickens are six weeks old. The beginning of the week was in the mid 90's but today was in the 70's.

 

[Percheron chick]

Have you tried baiting them with some chicken crack?

 

[Free Feather]

Chicken crack?

 

[clickdb]

Chicken crack?

(Mealworms )

 

[junebuggena]

Mine didn't start using their roosts at night until after 14 weeks old. It does take some time for them to learn to roost at night. They are still babies after all. If they've only been in the coop for a few days, it feels more secure to them to sleep all piled together for comfort in a strange, new place. Keep in mind that chickens of any age don't like changes. Give them time, and eventually they will start using the roost when they are ready.

 

[aart]

I wonder too if they are new to the coop.

Is there plenty of ventilation and light in the coop?
Maybe they can't see to get up on the roost during dusk?

I'd start putting them on the roosts at dusk, they should catch on eventually.

 

[chickenbee]

They have been in the coop for six weeks (since they were 2 days old). So I don't think they are feeling anxious about their home. All my flocks in the past have started to roost at night after a few months. I am not worried about their lack of roosting right now as I know that is normal. What I am concerned about is how they are piling up at the door and pushing each other out. Like I said I have been raising chickens for many years and I have never encountered this weird behavior. This is the first year with this particular breed so I am wondering if it is related to the breed or if this flock is really nuts!