Not Sleeping for Hours

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

My head hen has recently not been sleeping. Everyone else is inside the coop and asleep before 8pm. I don't open and close the coop door so they have full time access to their attached run which has food and water. Well, it's been four days now of me looking outside and seeing her slowly wander around the run until tonight where she is still out and it's past 11 pm. She doesn't have an obvious aim or a goal, she doesn't want out of the run either. The only thing that I can think of is I vaulted a waterproof "blackout curtain" on one side of the coop to block the lights we have on every night in our backyard. I did it because I noticed none of them were using the space during night where the light would hit. It doesn't obstruct the window ventilation because it is raised one foot off of it. It sounds ridiculous, but do you think she wants her coop nightlight back? The timing lines up. I thought exposure artificial lighting like that is bad for their inner clock? Is there another reason that hasn't occurred to me? She acts completely normal in the day. She lays in there and isn't adverse to going in, but at night will come out a few minutes and start the wandering. What should I do? The other chickens are now using that spot in the coop that was once blinded by light at night.

 

[SnackMeat]

Since she's head hen, she might be feeling like the light helps her feel more aware of threats so she can better protect the flock. Which could be why she's outside in the run.


It could be the nightlight thing. I only have experience with younger chickens but they have a light in their sleeping quarters (babies too) for a couple of hours which then shuts off (or fizzles out because some are solar lights.)

I have noticed, spying on my birbs, that some do seem to arrange themselves in relation to a night light, so they seem to get comfort from it. If the lights all go off too early they get upset.


But it could also be just any change in routine bothers her and she'll get over it. I would try a night light to see if that changes things, or maybe arrange some light to get into the coop, maybe less than before and reevaluate.


It could also be time to isolate her to evaluate if she's sick but not showing overt symptoms yet. So it could be something unrelated.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Since she's head hen, she might be feeling like the light helps her feel more aware of threats so she can better protect the flock. Which could be why she's outside in the run.


It could be the nightlight thing. I only have experience with younger chickens but they have a light in their sleeping quarters (babies too) for a couple of hours which then shuts off (or fizzles out because some are solar lights.)

I have noticed, spying on my birbs, that some do seem to arrange themselves in relation to a night light, so they seem to get comfort from it. If the lights all go off too early they get upset.


But it could also be just any change in routine bothers her and she'll get over it. I would try a night light to see if that changes things, or maybe arrange some light to get into the coop, maybe less than before and reevaluate.


It could also be time to isolate her to evaluate if she's sick but not showing overt symptoms yet. So it could be something unrelated.

I re-nailed the curtain over the window to allow some light in, we'll see if that works. I try my best to check for health issues every weekend, cleaning their feet, checking plumage, weight, checking up on them at night, etc. I didn't see anything, so hopefully it is the light. She is the only one who's lived with light at night her entire life, so it could really be the light issue. If it doesn't stop even with some light in the coop I'll update here.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Update from last night: I'm starting to wonder if she's been doing this for over a week and I just hadn't noticed until a few days ago.

There's less light in the coop than without the curtain, but it is still pretty dark. The chickens are again avoiding the entire side of the coop that gets a tiny bit of light in a corner, keeping a 2 ft distance from anything with a smidge of light.

My head girl was originally in the coop and sleeping when I went outside and checked around 8:20. Then, after I left, she got up and started wandering the run. I looked back out of the window around 9 and she was out, but I saw her go back in shortly. I removed the curtain to see how she would react. She was inside at 10. Looked out the window at 11 and she was out again surveying the ground.

Perhaps, I just coincidentally never did look outside at the 30-40 minute intervals she spends being an insomniac, and since I caught her once, I have been checking more intentionally.

I'm starting to think it's something other than light. There could be mites I have not seen yet at night. She could just be a sleepwalking / insomniac chicken. There could be something else disturbing her sleep. Midnight snack cravings but she's half asleep so it looks like wandering? The only thing I doubt it could be is the other chickens in the coop. She is the boss, everyone knows that. If she didn't want part of the snuggle puddle at night, then she can easily demonstrate that and get her way.

Will update if it stops or I think I find the reason.

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

I'm starting to piece together that it might be some sort of parasite. To preface, I haven't seen mites/lice or direct signs of mites/lice to my knowledge. I might have caught it generally early, since at most this behavior has been going on for two weeks. I am still doing my research and pictures are hard to come by. Signs that line up: listlessness, increased dust bathing, poopy butt (just discovered), and sitting hunched up with ruffled feathers. Currently using this article as I've found it the most helpful, but if anyone finds others, please post!
I will be further inspecting the plumage of my birds and cracks in the coop. What I have on hand is DE (already included in their dustbath and dusted over the run area underneath and around the coop every two weeks), pet-safe citrus-based mite spray for the grass, and isopropyl alcohol. If it is a parasite that lives on the bird I will have to get something for that.