Weird sleeping behaviour

[Poah]

Hey everyone!

Have had chickens now for over a year and have started noticing that one my hens is opting to sleep in a nesting box and not up on a roosting bar.

All four of my hens are moltong so they’re just crooked as sin but this one, seemingly, appears to be at the bottom of the pecking order. Anytime she hops up on a bar, the other peck at her feet or back of the head.

I can get her out of the box and she does jump up on a bar but, yeah…she recently she started sleeping out in one of the boxes. It’s weird.

Like, should I just put stuff in the boxes to discourage her from going in it.

She don’t seem sick. All four are pretty lively.

Thanks all!

 

[Debbie292d]

It sounds like she's sleeping in the nest box to avoid being picked on? Do they only pick on her when she's roosting?

We have silkies so are used to a couple of the hens preferring to sleep in a nest box.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Her low rank plus discomfort from molting is likely the reason she's opting for the nests. Are any of them still laying at this point? If you still do get eggs, then cover the boxes before dusk and uncover once it's completely dark. If not, you can cover up the nests until daylight hours start increasing again.