Sleeping situation for my chick

[Lulu-vt]

My chickens are nine weeks old. I moved them into the new coop and they seem to be enjoying it. However, they still sleep piled up on top of each other in a corner. Is this typical behavior of nine week old chickens? I can tell they are getting up on the roost but they don’t spend any time up there and they definitely don’t sleep there.
I’m just wondering if I did something wrong? There is a window near their roosting bar. It is screened but does not have plexiglass on it yet. Do you think they are too cold? It has been very warm here so I never thought that would be an issue in August.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Chickens sleep piled up even when they are older using roosts. At 9 weeks it’s normal for them not to want to sleep roosting yet.

 

[nuthatched]

Normal. They'll learn to roost soon.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It's normal if they don't have an older bird to show them what to do.

You can put them on the roost nightly to encourage them to use it (which is what I would do in this case), but many folks just let them figure it out.

 

[FeatherAndBloom]

Chickens sleep piled up even when they are older using roosts. At 9 weeks it’s normal for them not to want to sleep roosting yet.

Following up almost a year later on this thread- my 4 week old chicks are quickly out growing their brooder and since they are 95% feathered I’m planing to move them to their coop tomorrow (40s overnight, no drafts) with a super securely attached ceramic heat emitter to help curb the colder night time temp. They like sleeping in a pile, and I was feeling concerned that maybe they are cold at night in, but what im reading here says they do it just for snugs too? What would signal cold other than cuddling? Loud peeps? Thank you! Trying to learn how to speak chicken!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Following up almost a year later on this thread- my 4 week old chicks are quickly out growing their brooder and since they are 95% feathered I’m planing to move them to their coop tomorrow (40s overnight, no drafts) with a super securely attached ceramic heat emitter to help curb the colder night time temp. They like sleeping in a pile, and I was feeling concerned that maybe they are cold at night in, but what im reading here says they do it just for snugs too? What would signal cold other than cuddling? Loud peeps? Thank you! Trying to learn how to speak chicken!

Loud peeping, but that would also indicate distress from being in an unfamiliar environment like a new coop.

Have you weaned them off heat indoors? Have they been allowed outdoors during the day? They really don't need the extra heat at this age if you've been doing those two things.

 

[FeatherAndBloom]

Hey! Thanks for the reply over here. I’ve been working towards weaning them off heat indoors (and they are off during the day) but with the dark and no heat lamp they have freaked out the past two nights, even just inside their brooder. So I have the ceramic heat emitter (100w, keeping the direct floor temp to 70 and no more) and a night light for them.

Day time yes, they’ve been outside once when it was 70 and enjoyed it! But unfortunately here in the PNW has been raining most days for the past 2 months. My plan is to move them into the coop tomorrow morning, spend lots of time with them helping them adjust to the day time temps there and to turn the heater on only for night time to keep the spot about 65 floor temp. Worst case I bring them in at night and take them out in the morning for a few days to help them adjust.

It’s a pull and push situation with their size and need for more space coupled with the challenge of weaning them off heat before the exile when my basement stays around 65. Thanks for sticking with me thru all that

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Hey! Thanks for the reply over here. I’ve been working towards weaning them off heat indoors (and they are off during the day) but with the dark and no heat lamp they have freaked out the past two nights, even just inside their brooder. So I have the ceramic heat emitter (100w, keeping the direct floor temp to 70 and no more) and a night light for them.

Day time yes, they’ve been outside once when it was 70 and enjoyed it! But unfortunately here in the PNW has been raining most days for the past 2 months. My plan is to move them into the coop tomorrow morning, spend lots of time with them helping them adjust to the day time temps there and to turn the heater on only for night time to keep the spot about 65 floor temp. Worst case I bring them in at night and take them out in the morning for a few days to help them adjust.

It’s a pull and push situation with their size and need for more space coupled with the challenge of weaning them off heat before the exile when my basement stays around 65. Thanks for sticking with me thru all that

At this age with a heat lamp in their coop they are more likely to be too hot than too cold. I would put them out without a heat lamp personally. Do it during the day so they have time to adjust to the daylight and temp changes through the evening on their own. I have 4 day old chicks outside right now with a heat plate. It’s 37F this morning and they were running around the brooder playing no one was even under the heat plate. After years of brooding outside I can say that chickens are much hardier than we give them credit for. Your chickens are now at the point where they have a puffer down filled jacket on 24/7. I don’t know about you, but I would be sweating. I’m in a shirt and jeans when it’s 40F.

 

[FeatherAndBloom]

At this age with a heat lamp in their coop they are more likely to be too hot than too cold. I would put them out without a heat lamp personally. Do it during the day so they have time to adjust to the daylight and temp changes through the evening on their own. I have 4 day old chicks outside right now with a heat plate. It’s 37F this morning and they were running around the brooder playing no one was even under the heat plate. After years of brooding outside I can say that chickens are much hardier than we give them credit for. Your chickens are now at the point where they have a puffer down filled jacket on 24/7. I don’t know about you, but I would be sweating. I’m in a shirt and jeans when it’s 40F.

Sounds good! ill give it a try today and see how they do. thank you, grateful for this forum cause 5° per week decrease is slow when they are mostly feathered at 3 ish weeks at 80/75° wish Id just started them in the garage instead of the house! live and learn

 

[Mrs. K]

If you watch a broody hen in dang cold weather as 10 above in the day time, what you will see is the chicks are active and running all over, then she will call a time out. They will get under her, get a warm up, maybe a nap, and run again.

So what chicks need is a choice, a warm spot, and a cold area in a lot of space.

Mrs K