Is this normal?

[Lynnski]

My (almost) 7 week old chicks come into the coop at dusk, eat a bit and then a rumble breaks out when they realize they each want a specific corner of the coop! They are climbing over and diving under eachother for that sacred spot. No one is hurt and it doesnt seem to get out of hand but what worries me is that one might get squashed.

On other nights, one will get in the rafter above the clean out doors and the others will want to be there and try to fit pushing them off!

There are only 5 of them, and there are roosts which they dont use much. I will attach pics and a video of their behavior and if you think i need to rethink the design, please let me know.

This is the corner they all want to be in. I imagine soon none will fit! It is right up against the closed nesting boxes.

Fastening those wires today!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Nightly roost drama is normal, they never grow out of it, but it does lessen as they mature and dominance is established, it's one of their routines.

 

[Lynnski]

Thanks for the reassurance! As it turned out we noticed they were also not using the ladder type roost or the corner roost in this picture:

but they were looking for higher ground and fighting over the small space in the rafter over the door! We went for a redesign to see if it would bring harmony:


They love it! You were right on, they are 13 weeks and have a fairly steady pecking order. Thanks for keeping things in chicken perspective!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi.

Havoc breaks out every night in every coop I have with the same intent... Get the best roost!

And I agree with @oldhenlikesdogs .

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That's kinda funny fighting over one small roost area, chickens can be silly sometimes, they all want to be at the highest point, which has biological origins as the bottom bird would be most likely to be snagged by a predator, as well as the bird on the outside of the roost, so getting as high as possible is a survival mechanism. Mine often fight over who gets to sleep next to the rooster, who should protect them if any predators come looking.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

@Lynnski I kept wondering if the chickens cared what time it was and if they were watching the clock and what they thought about it ticking....

Only to realize it's a thermometer, duh!

I thought be trying to make them meet a quota.

 

[mclanea]

Just fighting for the best spot in front of the flat screen

 

[Lynnski]

@Lynnski I kept wondering if the chickens cared what time it was and if they were watching the clock and what they thought about it ticking....

Only to realize it's a thermometer, duh!

I thought be trying to make them meet a quota.

hahaha! The timeclock goes in when they turn 20 weeks! We hold meetings daily to explain what is eggspected of them!

@oldhenlikesdogs Makes sense about the height... It still blows my mind that they go in the coop at dusk! Love that automatic door!
@mclanea They are the flat screen! I am pretty sure they know i am watching and put on a show!