Pig piling in the coop

[earthmom]

I just moved my five hens into their coop a few days ago. They are just about 8 weeks old. At first they had to be "helped into the coop at night, but tonight they marched in one by one. Yay! The question I have is the behavior once they got into the coop. All five went to a corner of the coop and piled on top of each other. They were also making a lot of noise. I thought maybe something had snuck into the coop or it had mites or something, but when I opened the pop hole door, they stayed in continuing to pile ontop of each other. Is this normal? They seems fine otherwise when they are outside. They eat, drink, forage, etc.

 

[thebanthams]

thats what babies do when they are scared, give them time and they will get over it !

 

[Alaskan]

Why would they be scared of the coop though? They have already been in there for a few days.

Is there a draft? Is it colder than what they were used to, and so they are huddling for warmth?

I when I just moved my chicks from the house to the coop, they do startle more easily than my old hens did. If something flys by the coop window, they all freak a bit. But, they aren't so scared that they pile up. They just complain, and jump.

 

[graymm]

I have this problem too, however my chickens are a bit older like 14 weeks, At night when we secure them in for the night, They (4 hens 2 roosters) pig pile into one corner of their coop jumping and pushing Every night. But then in the morning they are spread out.

 

[CGChickMama]

My chicks did that when I moved them out to the coop too. It lasted maybe two weeks (we moved them into the coop at 7 weeks) and now when I go to latch them in they are all on the roost snuggled together. They are 10 weeks now.

 

[regcal966]

We moved our chickens out to the coop about 5 weeks ago. They would all pile in a corner when they went in at night, finally stopped doing that last week. They are 12 weeks old today.

 

[lazy gardener]

We moved our chickens out to the coop about 5 weeks ago. They would all pile in a corner when they went in at night, finally stopped doing that last week. They are 12 weeks old today.

Mine do the same thing as well and are 14 - 15 weeks old. 10 birds. Only a couple will get on a roost.

 

[Alaskan]

OK....now you'll are all getting me to wonder......why don't mine do that?

Odd

 

[earthmom]

They are the only chickens that I have, so they are in the coop alone. I live in North Carolina and right now, at 8:42 p.m. it is 77 degrees; so I don't think it is for warmth. I have a spot light in the backyard which lights up the whole yard fairly well and shines some into their coop so they are not in total darkness. I believe the others are right that it is new and they are afraid of the new noises that are outside. I believe when they realize that they are safe, they will calm down.

 

[earthmom]

thats what babies do when they are scared, give them time and they will get over it !

Good to know. I was worried for a while there!