Sleep Behaviors

[Newtohens]

Last night I went out to the coop to shut the girls in for the night for safety reasons, but I decided to take a peek inside. I looked in and expected to see them all nicely perched on their roosting bar, but to my surprise, all four of them were balled up on top of one another in one of the nesting boxes. Is this going to create issues with them layin eggs in the nesting boxes, because they view it as a sleeping area?

 

[gryeyes]

You don't say how old they are, but if they're young'ens, then it takes a while for them to learn to use the roost bars for SLEEP. After all, it takes balance to do that whilst unconscious. They don't get that confidence right away.

My "Middle" batch of pullets, about 17 weeks old, have JUST started using roost bars for sleep; there are five of them and only two are roosting at night. Up until yesterday, all five crowded together in a nest box, or in two boxes next to each other. They jump on, and rest on, the roosts during the day, but haven't gotten around to sleeping up there at night yet. (Except for the first two, last night! Wahoo!)

A lot of people suggest the nest boxes be closed off at night, to prevent chickens from sleeping in them. If they're adults, I agree with that. If they're young pullets under or around 4 months old, I'd wait a bit longer just to see if they manage to get up onto the roosts at night. But that's just me - I'm kinda indulgent that way.

 

[Newtohens]

Thanks for that answer. They are only about 10 weeks old, I have seen all of them up on the roost bar together resting during the day, so I know they can get up there and do quite often. I was just shocked to find them sleeping elsewhere, but it does make sense the way you put it. I'll give them a few weeks to get the hang of it. Thanks again.