Chick's pile in a heap at night...why?

[BeccaSmith]

Hi Everyone! So hubby and I bought baby chicks back in April, raised them in the brooder until we felt it was warm enough for them to be out in the coop with a heat lamp on at night...which was probably early to mid May. We kept them in the coop until around Jun 10th. They have been doing well...they love to go out when the sun isn't to hot. But at night when they return to the coop for the night and the chicken door to the coop is closed....they all pile in a heap in the corner. We just recently lowered one of the perches...and we can tell they have been up it from the poop, but why is it that every night they pile in a huge heap when it is 60 to 70 degrees out and they have been hot as heck all day long. They literally pile on top of each other in a corner all smashed together ad on top of each other....I'm surprised we haven't had any die from being on the bottom of the pile.....we try getting them on their perches (roosts, is that what they are called) but they just keep going back to the pile. Is this normal or should be be concerned? They sure have no problem sitting on bottom fence rails outside so I don't know what gives!

 

[swmalone]

Mine did this too, and even now that they around 16 weeks old they still seem to group together pretty tightly when they sleep. I was having problems with them all bunching up and sleeping in egg boxes so I have cut off the egg boxes temporarily.

 

[R_Chickens]

Ours are the same, now 16 weeks. But we did get 2 eggs this am, so maybe a few will 'move out' for some peace and privacy as they start to lay?

- JC

 

[greeneggs444]

I thought it was to stay warm????? Mine huddled together under the heat lamp..... sometimes.....

 

[sanyijr]

As they mature, probably around 16 weeks (+/-) 2-3 weeks, they will sart climbing upward and roosting. When young, it is heat related heat retention. But after 1 month or so, it's security I would think. Then, they roost side by side.

Just don't let them get used to hanging out in the nesting box in any case....

 

[Ivy061]

My Delawares who are 18-24 weeks old still refuse to use the roosts.

They always cram into a cozy pile on the floor of the coop.

 

[Wyo Chick]

At night when I check on my hen and her chicks. They are as far back as they can get in their house and the chicks are piled on top of mama in the corner. Very cute. I see heads peaking out under and over mom!

 

[sonally]

My chickens are 7 weeks old. They have used "roosts" since they were a few weeks old. We put elevated sticks in the brooder. Now they are living in their coop and the run. They roost sometimes and they huddle sometimes. A big fluffy pile of feathers with beady eyes!

It is warm today (90 degrees) and they still did it on and off during the day. WHo can understand the mind of a chicken, not I!

 

[ScotianChick]

Mine did that but in the nest boxes. My first batch and my second, both did that actually. It was cute at first seeing all of them do it but then they started pooping all over each other. So I started to move them each night to the roost. It did the trick... except for one girl who thinks the nest box is hers and hers alone even though she isn't laying yet.