Is this normal?

[RockyMtnMama]

This chick seems normal in every way, but sometimes I see her sleeping like this. Is it normal?

Also, the four big girls can’t “hunker down” to sleep because the new chicks kind of hog the roosting board, so they end up standing half the night. Are they getting any sleep?
Thanks!!

 

[Debbie292d]

Are you sure she's not just looking down? Chicks do sleep like that often, and I have photos of chicks doing it but never seen an adult do that unless they were looking down. Maybe she heard a noise like a mouse was down there or something? That other one is awake too.

Otherwise, she's a hard sleeper for sure!

 

[RockyMtnMama]

Are you sure she's not just looking down? Chicks do sleep like that often, and I have photos of chicks doing it but never seen an adult do that unless they were looking down. Maybe she heard a noise like a mouse was down there or something? That other one is awake too.

Otherwise, she's a hard sleeper for sure!

View attachment 4135555

It’s possible, but when I watch her on the camera, she stays in that position for quite a while. She’s ten weeks. I guess she really is a hard sleeper! Her position looks just like the chick in your pic, lol!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Also, the four big girls can’t “hunker down” to sleep because the new chicks kind of hog the roosting board, so they end up standing half the night. Are they getting any sleep?

How many birds and how many linear ft of roost? Might try raising that low roost up to same height as the other, to encourage them to spread out. Otherwise I wouldn't worry too much about them sleeping sporadically or standing up while roosting, it's normal for chickens to sleep in short bursts and wake up on and off through the night.

 

[RockyMtnMama]

How many birds and how many linear ft of roost? Might try raising that low roost up to same height as the other, to encourage them to spread out. Otherwise I wouldn't worry too much about them sleeping sporadically or standing up while roosting, it's normal for chickens to sleep in short bursts and wake up on and off through the night.

Thank you for the tips. We had 5 girls and they each had 1 linear foot per bird on the TOP bar and the same on the second bar. We got 4 more girls and figured that with a total of 10 linear feet the nine of them would work it out. They are 10 weeks now and they all usually squish together on the top! I figure as the littles get bigger, the nine of them will have to work it out!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you for the tips. We had 5 girls and they each had 1 linear foot per bird on the TOP bar and the same on the second bar. We got 4 more girls and figured that with a total of 10 linear feet the nine of them would work it out. They are 10 weeks now and they all usually squish together on the top! I figure as the littles get bigger, the nine of them will have to work it out!

Or they'll squish . I have two 5.5' roosts and 10 birds currently... generally 9 of 10 will stuff themselves on the top roost. Whichever doesn't fit gets forced down to the lower one.