Sleeping in Food Bowl

[Rtdowdy]

I received 5 BCM pullets 8-12 weeks old yesterday and noticed that each night they have been Sleeping in the food bowl inside their quarantine brooder. They use the roosts I provide during the day but not at night. Is this normal behavior?

secondly I have 6 week old mixed group of chicks (8 total) in their brooder who have been sleeping huddled together on the opposite side of their brooder from the Brinsea 50 plate. Is that normal? Can I turn the plate on it’s side for them to huddle near instead of under or is that a fire hazard?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Wow that's unusual. At 8-12 weeks you don't need to keep the feed in at night, so I'd just remove it.

The 6 week olds, if they're refusing to use the heat plate at all, you can remove it - that's their way of telling you they don't need it.

 

[Rtdowdy]

Wow that's unusual. At 8-12 weeks you don't need to keep the feed in at night, so I'd just remove it.

The 6 week olds, if they're refusing to use the heat plate at all, you can remove it - that's their way of telling you they don't need it.

ok I’ll remove the food - is there anything I can do to encourage them to move elsewhere at night?

for the youngers - I’m planning to put the warmer in the coop when we move them out there With the cooler night temps. I assume this won’t be an issue of not knowing what it is.

 

[rosemarythyme]

ok I’ll remove the food - is there anything I can do to encourage them to move elsewhere at night?

for the youngers - I’m planning to put the warmer in the coop when we move them out there With the cooler night temps. I assume this won’t be an issue of not knowing what it is.

Yes, for the older ones, I would manually put them on the roost each night until they understand that's where they need to go.

For the 6 week olds... when do you plan on moving them to the coop, and how cold are the night time temperatures? You likely won't need to send them out with heat at all. Are these Silkies or some other breed with unusual feathering?

 

[Rtdowdy]

Yes, for the older ones, I would manually put them on the roost each night until they understand that's where they need to go.

For the 6 week olds... when do you plan on moving them to the coop, and how cold are the night time temperatures? You likely won't need to send them out with heat at all. Are these Silkies or some other breed with unusual feathering?

mixed- one silkie shes 8 weeks now with full feathers. One Wheaton Marans. Two brown olive egger Bantum mixes. Two Cuckoo Bantum mixes (smaller birds with full feathers) and Two sex link golden comments. I’m thinking of waiting at least one more week if not two they’re are two still not completely head feathered. We’re in Eastern NC and our coldest lows are mid 30s.

 

[rosemarythyme]

mixed- one silkie shes 8 weeks now with full feathers. One Wheaton Marans. Two brown olive egger Bantum mixes. Two Cuckoo Bantum mixes (smaller birds with full feathers) and Two sex link golden comments. I’m thinking of waiting at least one more week if not two they’re are two still not completely head feathered. We’re in Eastern NC and our coldest lows are mid 30s.

I think with 2 more weeks they'll be fine without heat, if you can either give them a bit of time outside to help them acclimate to colder temps, or some time in a room that's unheated or with window open, to expose them to colder temps. Gradually increase the amount of time they spend in a cooler environment and they'll adapt.