Huddling in a corner?

[Tim in Pa.]

Well so far my chicks have gone from little fur balls to looking like chickens in 4 week,And so far no injuries or mishaps I think I am getting the hang of this!

, Anyways to my question I have 23 pullets and they all roam around in the yard I fenced if for them till sundown and then all 23 all at once enter the coop and gather in a big huddled mass in the corner right inside the door even if the door is still open.I mean they are realllly crammed into that corner,I dont understand why they do this Its the same amount of light in the coop as out in their yard I have several windows in the coop but no artificial lighting.And its every night not just now and then, WHY????

Thanks,Tim

 

[Chirpy]

That's normal behavior for chicks. They haven't learned how to roost yet and are trying to be safe and warm - so they huddle.

Do you have roosts available for them now? If so, you can go out at night, after dark, and literally pick them all up individually and put them on the roosts. You may have to do it for a few nights but they will quickly learn to go to the roosts themselves at dusk and sleep there.

Mine did the exact same thing for the first nights in the coop so I put them on the roosts and now they all sleep up there except for my Silkie roo.