Segregated Sleeping

[Broody_Mama]

My chickens are about three months old. For the first 8-9 weeks, they all slept huddled in a corner together. Then they started spreading out a little, with a couple up on roosting bars, most fighting over one nesting box and two still on the ground huddled in a corner. The last few nights when I've gone out to close things up, I've found that they have segregated themselves for sleep by breed. The ISAs sleep in one box, orpingtons in another and the australorps still huddled in their corner. I have eight nesting boxes, btw... they just choose to fight over the same two!

Do all chickens do this? Separate themselves by breed?

Also, should I be concerned that my two australorps still sleep on the ground instead of elevated?

None of them seem to like sleeping on the roosting bars. The only time they go up on those is when they are anxiously waiting for me to come out in the morning and want the window view.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

"Birds of a feather flock together"

I have hens they same way. Some birds just won't go on a perch. What to should do is every night pick each one up and put her on a perch.

 

[Harmony Fowl]

Sometimes I think this happens because the birds in each group share similar temperaments, in part because they are the same breed. I have 16 8-week-olds and two chicks of the same breed who, unlike the others who hatched here, these two came from the store and are the same breed, welsummers, and much more docile than my others. And they hang out together more than the others. Why? I seriously doubt they remember ever not being a part of this flock, I think they just recognize that they are easier to get along with than the others. Kind of like coworkers find the friends they’re compatible with when they all spend the same amount of time together.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The ISAs sleep in one box, orpingtons in another and the australorps still huddled in their corner. I have eight nesting boxes, btw... they just choose to fight over the same two!

None of them seem to like sleeping on the roosting bars. The only time they go up on those is when they are anxiously waiting for me to come out in the morning and want the window view.

You don't want them sleeping in the nesting boxes, that's not what they're there for. If possible block off all the boxes completely until they're at point of lay. If they in that habit you could end up with dirty boxes and poop covered eggs in the future.

What is your roost set up like? They're well old enough to be using them every night. Photos would be great, or at least a description of roost material, length, height off ground, location in coop?

 

[Wolfiehowl229]

Please help with my hens. Also this si normal for hens to do this but like the others said, block off nesting boxes. Also they fight over the same boxes because they see either eggs or hens in those more often song recommend putting fake eggs in the others to entice the others.