Hens sleeping bunched up?

[PNWhens]

I have 4 Rhode Island Red hens, about 5-6 weeks old. At night when they go into the coop, I noticed they all sleep in a tight bundle. I am assuming this is to keep warm, but also worries me they may be cold or have separation issues. They feel nice and toasty when I check on them. I am always on the side that animals are animals, and they're more hardy than we think, but I want to make sure they're okay since this is my first time raising chickens.

note: I live on Whidbey Island in Washington. Doesn't really get too chilly on the island as off island. Also what does the little 'OP' in a blue square mean on my profile photo?

 

[slordaz]

normal behavior, make sure there is not a draft directly on the roost. That would be the most likely reason, it's something they do to help conserve and share warmth, most common reason though is a draft chilling them more than usual.

 

[AllenK RGV]

The OP means you are the Original Poster. I am in deepest south TX and even three months in their coop my silkies bunch up at night we haven't seen lows below 80 most nights. This is common behavior in youngins.

 

[FortCluck]

I have 2 roosters and 4 hens that sleep all in a ball, they have been doing this since they have been babies no matter what the temperature was in their brooder or in the coop. I think that they are just bonded together and inseparable. They will not roost at night even though we made them very nice roosts inside their coop. I also have two red sex links that sleep together as well on the floor. None of them use the roosting bars unless it's during the day, my chickens are odd I have two Polish that would rather fly up into the rafters and sleep up there.

 

[PNWhens]

Ah thank you, was getting worried! @FortCluck @AllenK RGV

 

[townchicks]

That's very normal behavior for babies. Just a side note, they aren't hens yet. They are called pullets, until they're a year old, and boy babies are cockerels, til the same age. It's not just semantics, it helps us all clarify things. When they are older, like 4-5 mos, they may start to use the roosts on their own, or you can gently place them up there after they've gone to bed for the night.

 

[Waves]

i think it's a normal behavior, too. My chickens did that when they're young, but they sleep nearby even now, specially in winter, and they sleep in a wood warm refuge. They've six years and look like pullets