You’re not alone on the weather. My first frost and first freeze were both about a month later than normal. We set a couple of heat records earlier this month. Some years winter is early, some years it’s late. This is just one of those years.
I certainly agree with the others, at that age with those temperatures where you are they do not need a heat lamp to stay warm. A lot of this probably has to do with your security light, it is providing enough light they can see out there at night. They are creatures of habit and you have disrupted their habits by moving them. They are busy setting up new habits.
Looking at those ages, I think something else may be working here. My brooder raised chicks normally start to roost at around 10 to 12 weeks of age. I’ve had some start as early as 5 weeks, some take a lot longer, but 10 to 12 weeks is a good average. Until they start roosting they sleep in group somewhere low down. In my coops on the ground that’s normally in the coop. With my elevated grow-out coop they tend to sleep in a group in the run under the door if I’ve kept them locked in the coop portion for a few days. If I haven’t locked them in the coop section for a few days it can be anywhere, but it will be in the run. They like to sleep down low until they are ready to roost. They sleep in a group, not because they are cold but because they like the company.
Which ones of yours are roosting? Just the two other Cochin or all of the others? I think part of it may be that these four just haven’t started roosting yet. If the roosts in your coop are the only roosts, your problem may be solved when that roosting instinct kicks in. When that will be, who knows. Each of my broods are different and learn that at different ages, even though they all have practice roosts in the brooder and roosts are always available.
I’ve seen that pecking order behaviors are magnified on the roosts. I understand these new chickens get along fine with all the others and have moved toward the top of the pecking order, especially over the 9-week-old EE’s, but I’ve seen bullies go out of their way to brutalize other chickens on the roosts as they are settling down for the night. I suggested this in a recent thread but the OP didn’t believe it, they get along so well during the day. But a couple of days later they came back and said that was what was happening. The solution is not a certain number of inches per bird on the roosts but having roosts set up where the birds can get away from a bully. Aart’s not the only one that has a separate
“juvenile” roost set up to aid integration.
I think with all this I think what is really going on is that they haven’t learned to roost yet. I’ll mention all this other stuff because you are looking at them and I’m not. It can get complicated. Regardless of the reason they are doing this, I think the solution is to lock them in the coop at night until they start going in on their own. I’ve had some with my elevated grow-out coop get the message after the first time, I’ve had some individuals take three weeks to get the message. Patience may be required.
In addition, look at your roost space. I really don’t think this is the problem but it sounds like you are someone that will be integrating in the future. You say you have plenty of coop space. A separate roost, a little lower than the main roost but higher than the nests and separated horizontally from the main roosts may come in handy, if not now, then later.
Good luck!
