Night Behavior

[nohobbymomma]

I have 2 Silkies, 3 RIR's, and 3 Marans they are all 6-8 weeks old. At night they climb the ladder to there coop and they sleep in the doorway. They don't perch they just huddle up and sleep together. It isn't cold at night. Is this normal behavior? Should I be doing something different?

 

[ShockValue]

Did they spend any time locked in their coop when they first got out there? I would put them in there for a couple of days with nothing to roost on except the place you want them to roost so that it sinks in that this is THE place.

 

[aart]

The above poster has a viable suggestion.

Is it hot in the coop? How is your roost set up?
6-8 weeks they are often still huddling to sleep rather than roosting, so pretty normal.
You can put them on the roost after dark, or just let them be.

 

[mortie]

Mine did that too. At that time it was really cold so it wasn't a temperature thing, they just liked piling up near the door. To keep them safe I always closed the coop up at night so I would just nudge them in and close the door if their heads were in the way. After a couple weeks of that they found the roosts on their own. One night it was one bird. Next night there were two up there....and after a while they were all roosting. I would say at their age the behavior of your birds is totally normal.

 

[nohobbymomma]

The chicks were in the coop for about a week or so before I ever let them in the yard. I have plenty of ventilation for them, it is dark in there though. I have two windows on opposite ends for cross flow ventilation. I have a roost bar about 5 inches above the floor of the coop.
I may try to "nudge" them in tonight and then sneak up them to see if they are roosting.

 

[rc4u]

there are just young yet..they will get scared one nite and go in farther and then accept the security of the coop and roosts...all my batches have been that way...jeff

 

[mortie]

I just nudged them in so I could shut the door. If its dark they won't roost if you push them in, they will stay pretty much where you leave them. You can try.putting them on the roost but frankly that was just too much chicken micro management for me. When they get older they will stop wanting to pile up on the floor and will just start to roost. Sitting by the door is a natural behavior for them and doesn't necessarily indicate a problem with ventilation or temp.