What do they do at night?

[Onetuffchick]

i put the girls in the coop at night - or more specifically they put themselves in and I just shut the door. I noticed though that they tend to pig pile in one corner on top of each other. Is this normal behavior? there are 4 nesting boxes and they haven't started laying yet. They are about 16 weeks old, so it should be soon. There isn't a light in there and they almost act scared. Some roost a bit and there are a lot of feathers on the floor of the coop in the morning. Thoughts??

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

Do they have to be taught how to roost? I don't know.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Like the little boy in the comic strip "Charlie Brown" they are still clinging to their baby blanket for security

 

[centrarchid]

Too dark. Provide window or install a night light. You want them roosting up.

 

[hempsteadjb]

you can install a solar light from the dollar store...that's what I did. Very simple to do. I believe their is a youtube video showing how to install them.

 

[aart]

i put the girls in the coop at night - or more specifically they put themselves in and I just shut the door. I noticed though that they tend to pig pile in one corner on top of each other. Is this normal behavior? there are 4 nesting boxes and they haven't started laying yet. They are about 16 weeks old, so it should be soon. There isn't a light in there and they almost act scared. Some roost a bit and there are a lot of feathers on the floor of the coop in the morning. Thoughts??

Are there windows in the coop?
Are roosts easily accessible, both getting up and getting down?
Post pics of inside of coop and roosts.
Feathers are probably from last juvenile molt...unless you have a predator visiting.

 

[Onetuffchick]

There are window

s (with hardware cloth over them) and vents up top.

 

[Onetuffchick]

Too dark. Provide window or install a night light. You want them roosting up.

Okay, I was wondering if that was it. I thought I'd read that you don't want a light in the coop, which is why I didn't put one in. Guess I was wrong! Thank you!

 

[pennyJo1960]

birds are blind in the dark a little nite light will help mine is red
7 watt bulb will do fine

 

[aart]

There are windowView attachment 1051726 s (with hardware cloth over them) and vents up top.

Ah ok, good!
Then are those the roosts on either side of coop?
If so, how far away from the wall are they?