Unusual bedtime behavior

[Cambium29]

They may simply need a nightlight. If the coop is dark and scary to them they'll huddle up in one corner.

I installed a battery operated LED nightlight in my small coop. I turn it on about the time the birds are ready to go in, then turn it off an hour or so later when they are settled. You can get a small light and a timer for your coop, see if that helps.

 

[cmom]

I used to put my lights on timers but a couple of my timers died and I never replaced them so now since I figured out that the cost is about less than $2.00 a month so I just leave them on.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

I have a pair of 'chicks' that are one year old, but they were the only survivors of the 6 I got last spring. (4 died varied and random deaths), and they both snuggle up in a corner together at night, instead of roosting like the rest.

 

[Fritatta]

do they have TOO much space? they may feel exposed. can you give them some corners or more cover? Pictures would be helpful.

I have seen on this forum that chicks can smother one another. Wish I could offer more advice, but im pretty much a newbie to chickens.

 

[Sassafras]

Mine were doing that too when I took the brooder lght away. I was afraid one would get crushed (there are 12). I ended up using a 40watt red "party bulb" for a week or so then just the nightlight. Getting them up on the higher roost too should help. They need to be up higher to feel safe supposedly.

 

[krissteff]

I'll try to get some pictures. I took a pic of the huddle, but not of the whole coop. I don't think it's too much space, though. What they are doing lately is huddling together in the run on a wooden bench. I have to move them into the coop. They don't seem bothered by the coop and will go in there throughout the day. When they see me go into the shed, they pop through their pophole to see what I'm doing. I thought maybe they were too hot in the coop, so today they got an air-conditioner. They all watched me install it and played around in the coop, ate some food, etc... I'm going to modify the coop so it's elevated. It's hard to move them onto the roost without seriously disrupting them.
Tonight is the first night I put the red party light in there. We'll see if that spreads them out a little.

Should I just let them sleep in the run? Hubby says no because it might confuse them and I should just stick with the routine, whether the chickens like it or not.

They are active and wonderful girls through the day. The only behavior in the run that I'd like to change is my white leghorns jumping on my back when I'm bent over to pet one of the others. I could live without the dinosaur claw scratches all over my back.

 

[mrs918]

just found my girls doing the exact same thing! Gonna get a night light tomorrow for them.....spoiled things

 

[epeloquin]

Don't worry at all. My girls (6+weeks) did the same thing, they've been in their coop for 2+ weeks now. I took a few of them and placed them on the roost and a couple mornings later came to the coop to find them all roosting. Even on the roost they so pack close together that they are sometimes partly on each other and they do a lot of jostling. Don't forget, if yo brooded them then they are accustomed to getting their warmth and security from each other. It sounds like the same exact behavior I had. Just keep introducing the roost and they'll get the message. My girls are so funny. Even when freeranging they put themselves "to bed" every night within 5 minutes of 8:30. You can almost set your watch by them. Once they go in I close up the coop/run so they're safe.

The pics are from right after they began roosting on their own.

 

[krissteff]

they are STILL huddled in the corner.

Although, the huddle isn't quite as tight as usual.

the red light is on, the AC is on....

i'll be starting the modification to their area tomorrow. I think if I could reach in and place them on the roost, they might actually learn to use it. Although, they always used it in their brooder box, so what the heck?! They've had roosting spots since they were a week old and always used them.

Initially, they did fine in the coop. They went to bed at 8:26. They roosted. All was well. Then they started doing the pancake piling. And now for the last several days, they want to sleep in the run and they aren't going to bed. It started when the heat got real bad. I've gone to great lengths to make sure they are affected as little as possible by the heat. Even though it's cooler in the shed where their coop is, they still want to crowd together outside at night.

I put them in one by one, and they make loud protests while standing by the pophole door, and then they crowd in their little corner. Ack. Silly birds.

You can see my barred rock's head under the pile. she likes to be on the bottom. it's usually a tighter pile, but they haven't all gotten in there and situated themselves yet.

 

[krissteff]

They went inside tonight! By themselves! And they aren't squished together!

Yesterday we had a bad storm and they trotted into the coop on their own. I locked them in and left them there the rest of the day, and they were roosting and moving about the coop independently of each other. I was hoping they would benefit from the extra time in there and accept it as their home.

And tonight when I finally got the energy to go out and physically move them from the run, as I do every night, they were already in the coop sleeping!

Tonight I am a happy mother hen. This makes me SO happy! and Proud!

I hope their little bitty birdy brains can remember to do this tomorrow too!