Crowded House...

[lizage]

So my 6 week old chicks have been in their coop for about a week and a half now and clearly love the extra room. At night, however, all 16 of them (4 of which are bantams) cuddle into 2 (of 4) nest boxes. When I look in on them, I can maybe only see like 3-4 of them and the rest are buried! It's been in the 90's during the day and 70's at night so I know they aren't doing it because they're cold. Is this normal for them to pile on top of each other? Do I need to worry that they are in the nest boxes right now (they won't be laying for a while yet I assume)? It's so cute so, but of course I have to worry about it!

 

[kemclaughlin]

A lot of people, us included, have blocked off the nesting boxes to keep this from happening. I will remove the covering when they get closer to laying. I don't want them to get used to sleeping and pooping in the boxes.

 

[lizage]

I was thinking it probably wasn't the best idea for them. I assume they're sleeping there because they feel safer in the more enclosed part? They aren't roosting much yet and not at night at all. Will they eventually sleep on the roosts?

 

[kemclaughlin]

They will eventually sleep on the roosts. Mine did. They are doing it because they feel safe, but there are people who have lost some that way. If you have one or two that are more adventurous, try putting them up on the roost.

 

[lizage]

I have a number of them that will hang out on the roost during the day (I think because they can look out the window there

) but they don't stay up there at night.

 

[ailurophile23]

Last year when I got my chicks, they did the same thing except in a corner - I had the nest box area blocked off so they slept in a pile in a corner of the coop. I made smaller/shorter roosts for them initially and then they eventually figured out the big chicken roosts.

 

[lizage]

What did you use to block off the nest boxes? Just a temp wood board or something? How will I know when I can take it back off? Once they're sleeping on the roosts?

 

[kemclaughlin]

I intend to take mine off once the pullets' combs start turning pink. I guess they do that when they are almost ready to start laying. I don't want them to start laying in the coop, but I don't want them sleeping in the boxes either.