Chicken cramming

[ChicSpazz]

Hi there, I'm new to having chickens and have 4 that are now about 10 weeks. They were introduced to their coop just over a week ago. I have 5 nesting boxes and a roost that is across from the boxes and 2 inches higher. All 4 hens cram into one box at night. Is this normal? Do I need to somehow break this habit?

 

[rosemarythyme]

You don't want them having the habit of sleeping in nest boxes, as they'll soil them as they sleep. Close up access to the next boxes or put something in them to prevent them from going in - they won't need them for quite a while and it's the easiest way to break them of sleeping in them.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hello and welcome to BYC

Good advice above. You may wish to drop by New Members Introductions forum and say hi

 

[ChicSpazz]

Thank you for this advice. I'll block them today. When do I know to unblock them?

 

[PirateGirl]

Sleeping in a pile on the floor is normal for young ones. When mine were that age I leaned a piece of wood up to the roost creating a ramp. Within a few minutes they were running up and down exploring this new zone. It wasn't long after this that they starting using this area to roost at night instead of sleeping in a pile.

It is time to unblock them when your chickens get close to point of lay. They will have big red combs and will squat for you. Look up youtube videos of chickens squatting. It will make sense when it happens! Those two things combined are a good sign that they will lay within a week or two and you can unblock the nest boxes.

 

[chickens really]

Hello...Block them for two weeks solid to train to Roost. Then unblock them to see what happens...