Changing Roosting Positions at Night

[centrarchid]

Mice to make birds dance at night. Sit outside and watch.

 

[Shadrach]

I think its normal. There is often in coop activity here during the night without any obvious disturbances. Dawn can sometimes encourage chickens to move to the floor. You would need to watch at dawn to see exactly what happens.
Getting too hot or too cold during the night can make them change position. Some of the pullets here seem particularly prone to night time movement and often find a place next to the senior rooster if they been harassed by one of the cockerels, or more senior hens.
I have often seen mother hens with chicks standing outside the nest boxes very early in the morning. I’ve assumed this is some kind of guarding instinct when the others start to move.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That is a really good point. I have actually seen mouse droppings recently in the coop - I'm in St. Louis, MO. Do you think that would be enough to startle them off the roost? Do you have any suggestions on getting rid of mice? I obviously can't do traps or poison.

Definitely set some traps or get those that can go inside a box. Can you imagine mice scrambling around you at night? I think I might fall out of the bed a time or two.

 

[chickens really]

Definitely set some traps or get those that can go inside a box. Can you imagine mice scrambling around you at night? I think I might fall out of the bed a time or two.

I almost fell out of bed dreaming I was on a roller coaster.........