Chickens will not sleep

[brianschickens]

Hi,
I am in somewhat of a panic. When I moved my chickens into their new shed they always slept in the nesting box. Finally I took the nesting box out but now they are standing on the roost wide awake. Not sleeping or sitting on it like they are supposed to just standing looking weird and not sleeping. I saw this the last week and thought that this was only happening because they could hear me coming but tonight I went out there with no shoes on very quietly and I saw them doing it. Someone please help me understand whats going on I do not want them to get sick

 

[Michael OShay]

You don't need to worry about your chickens getting sick from not sleeping.
Chickens like many birds exhibit a unique behavioral and electrophysiological state called “unihemispheric sleep,” in which one cerebral hemisphere is awake and the other is sleeping. This means they can sleep with one eye open and in the case of chickens it is usually the eye on the side nearest whatever opening a potential predator would be likely to enter the coop. You can rest assured that your chickens are getting enough rest. )

 

[brianschickens]

Great! Thanks so much