sleeping on the poop board

[trudyg]

I've been integrating my chicks into the large coop with 5 adults. The new ones are 15 weeks and have been in with the adults for 3 weeks now, so they're getting to where they actually get closer to each other during the night. My issue is that 3 or 4 tend to sleep in the sand on the poop tray. At first it was because the adults would not let them all on the roost. I added another roost and the cockerels slept on the new one and pullets piled up at the end of the original roost, sometimes being edged off and stepping into the sand, then staying there all night. Now they just get right into the sand and stay. Should I try to stop this or should I wait and see if they quit on their own? Any ideas on how?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd let it go. They are not quite adults, when they mature some more they will finally complete merging. They are not sleeping in the nests. No one is getting hurt. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It is working great, leave it alone.

 

[SueT]

You could improvise dividers on the roosts. I have found that when having multiple age groups, roost conflict can go on for a long time. But I discovered that my chickens appreciate having separated areas at night and it instantly ended all that. It can be as simple as hanging a piece of a feed bag from the overhead....

 

[aart]

Several of my adult birds prefer to roost on the poop board.
In this pic all the ~8wo chicks are up on roost.

 

[snow5164]

That’s funny , I never do the night chores ,since I’m up doing the morning chores . Last night I checked the hens and saw some on the sand on the poop boards sleeping .... I also noticed they were grouped by the two windows ...I think they’re too hot to cuddle

Oh well I’m just happy if they’re all in the coop happy and asleep

 

[aart]

I think they’re too hot to cuddle

It's weird even when it was hot as hades last week and they are panting they were all crammed together(some could only stand) despite other roost at same height ...I moved half dozen of them.

 

[snow5164]

Life would be a lot easier if they’d just learn to talk to us !

 

[aart]

Life would be a lot easier if they’d just learn to talk to us !

Yours don't !?!?!

Not sure I'd really want to know what they're thinking.

 

[trudyg]

My adults don't let them spread out, but I've gone in late and they're all spread out, except the ones in the sand. Thanks, I'll just leave them. I was going out at dusk and holding a rake between the bigs and littles, but then one of the bigs would fly down and get up at the other end. Meanies!

 

[aart]

My adults don't let them spread out, but I've gone in late and they're all spread out, except the ones in the sand. Thanks, I'll just leave them. I was going out at dusk and holding a rake between the bigs and littles, but then one of the bigs would fly down and get up at the other end. Meanies!

It's weird, the bigs intimidate the youngsters all day long...but for some reason allow them to crowd the roost. Could be the juniors do this after it's fairly dark and the oldsters just want to rest.<shrugs> I dunno! Right now I have 13 adults and 16 juniors, the main roosts are crowded. Will be glad when the 6 cockerels are gone next week, then ~6 hens before winter.