Hens pile up to sleep at night: How do I change that?

[LynneP]

I think having a window or light helps because if they don't have time to eat and organize on a roost they may not be able to see properly to get safely up there. I bring my hens in before sunset so they have time to get organized. Two nights agi I had a visitor I had asked to arrive before the light diminished, and it flustered the birds, so I had to get down to the barn the moment hw was gone and put on the lights so they could get back into their routine. The following morning I had 2 fewer eggs than normal.

Another thing that helps is to give the 4x4's on the floor if you don't mind them sleeping there. They can find these in the dark and it helps them to line up. If you have room to position them in a more convenient spot, so much the better.

You may also have birds that prefer a platform to a roost, some don't like to have air floating up under them at night or feel vulnerable. I'm thinking about putting a platform over my roosts because only a few of mine enjoy the roost. The others like the platforms in the coop, especially the one by the window. It's colder there too but they seem to like the light in the morning, even though I have a bulb come on at 5 am.

 

[Sylvie]

My door opens out. I just turned it upside down and reversed the hinges.

Mine piled in a corner at first, too. I placed them on the roosts a few times after twilight and they caught on. Now they try to pile up on the roosts, it's too funny. Sometimes I go out and spread them out on a warmer night hoping to break that habit.

 

[dani813]

My six girls still pile in a corner as well. Chickens are funny little birds.

 

[sewincircle]

When I added the newbie chickens into the coop they slept just like that. My door opens outward though and they would almost fall out on me every morning. I waited til they were asleep and put them up on the roosts at night. A couple nights and mornings waking up on the roosts they got it. They could be cold, as I read someone else said. I live in NY. So I added a heat lamp on them to take the chill out for them. They all sleep on the roosts now.
Good Luck!
Give an update if you can.

 

[Mahonri]

My girls started flying up to the roosts as soon as they could. Piling ended for most as soon as I let them out of their brooder. The few that stayed by the door watched the others fly up to the roosts and away they went. Now they fight for #1 position on the favored roost. (the smaller one that is up high)

 

[momofdrew]

I only have 4 birds and they have always pig piled in one corner of the coop...they do get up on the roosts at other times but for bed time it is pig pile time...

 

[eggchel]

When we have ground or nest box sleepers, we go out after dark and move them to the roost. Once it is dark, they wont move from where you place them until it is light out. They eventually get the idea.
Except one Tolbunt Polish roo who I still find in the next box everynight. Bugger.


Chel

 

[rebecca10782]

I have never seen our girls do anything but cuddle at night. Even when they are in their coupe with the heat lamp on. It sounds like yours are probably cold. Put a heat lamp in the coupe and set them in there at dusk, they will probably relize it is a lot more comfortable.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Quote:
These birds are now 8 months old, and they have done this every night since they came to live with us at 2 days old. They even did it in the extreme heat of our summer nights, back when their pen was only a fenced in dog pen with a roof.

Nowadays, their pen is fully walled (and it has always had a roof). They even have a heater out there that turns on at 35 degrees and turns off at 45 degrees. But they don't sleep near the heater on cold winter nights, they still choose to pile up at the door when they go to sleep.

BTW, I can see them when they sleep because that particular side of the chicken pen has large plexiglass windows, and the door is actually covered in a large sheet of plexiglass.

 

[rebecca10782]

Well, to each his own

I found our month old babies cuddled up by the door the other night. I was freeeezing, but they chose not to snuggle under the lamp. Sometimes I wonder how intellegent they really are