strange nightly ritual?

[ShabbyChic]

Our 8, 6 week old pullets, go back into coop every night at 9:10 p.m. currently. When they get inside they go to one wall by the door and chirp and peck the wall there. They crowd each other into that corner of the coop, stepping and sitting on each other. They get really loud and as the activity escalates and then in about 10 mins it's over. They settle down and go to sleep. Not roosting on their perch though; most of the time they just stay there and sleep cuddled up by the door. They seem perfectly happy. Their are growing at an almost alarming rate and are friendly and well adjusted. The pecking order seems to even be set. The only thing I can think is that they are just settling in for the night. Deciding who is going to sleep where and how. Like a little night time conference? It's just really weird. I can understand the chirping, but why do they peck the walls? Do chickens use pecking to communicate like woodpeckers? They are not eating bugs off the wall. I checked for that. Does anybody else experience this behavior with their chickens?

 

[centrarchid]

Not seen similar but likely an artifact of confinement. Consider taking a couple of the dominant pullets and placing them in small cage on roost pole just before brood goes to roost. They may call others up to roost. Repeat this for a couple days, then stop catching the dominant pullets. My bet is the brood will then go up to roost without your interference.

 

[mcjessen]

Mine did the same exact thing in their brooder. It was annoying as the brooder was on the patio and I could hear then while I was watching TV. LOL! I am working at coop and run integration right now. They have spent the last two nights in a rabbit cage in the coop with the hens. They jockey for position like they did in the brooder. Sometime this week, I'll just put them in the coop with the hens and see what they do. I imagine they will jockey for position on the floor as well until I get them used to roosting. LOL! I'm sure they'll jockey on the roost as well.

 

[liz9910]

Hi, my chicks started out sleeping like that but eventually started using the perches. Not sure about pecking on the wood though.


Elizabeth