Why are my hens getting in a pile?

[shanadienne]

My flock does this weird thing where sometimes a few hens will just randomly pile together in a corner of the run. Sometimes they climb on top of each other, sometimes they try to burrow underneath.

Does anybody else's flock do this? Chickens don't cuddle with each other, do they?

 

[Sutremaine]

How old are they and how do they act around the other chickens?

I would round off that corner, not for any physical danger but to stop the compulsive behaviour. An upturned bucket with a weight on it, some spare rocks or bricks... whatever you have.

 

[MageofMist]

I thought it was a silkie thing. But my silkies do it, the big mama-hen is known for burrowing under the rooster for cuddles too, like a baby penguin, while all the others get into a big pile or sit on their low 'perch' together.

The red thing on Rooroo's neck is his no-crow collar, I take it off at night but this happened before I did. Also usually the youngsters snuggle with the pullets and cockerel, but this was before they fully accepted the little chirpers.

This is when the cockerel and pullets were babies, but they still clump together when sun and dustbathing... It'd be easier for them if they split apart, but nope, gotta pile up!

And chickens do cuddle, with each-other and with me.

 

[shanadienne]

Well, it's not just that corner. It's any corner. This is an older picture:

They're a bit over a year old. They're totally normal with each other and the others the rest of the time. It seems like their preferred way of chilling out?

 

[Sutremaine]

If they drift together and form a clump wherever, and get on fine with everyone else, then it's probably fine. The original picture looked like they were huddling themselves in there.

 

[junebuggena]

Could those be lower ranking birds attempting to get away from the more dominant birds? I notice your run is a big empty rectangle, without a lot of places for those lower ranked birds to get out of sight of the more dominant birds. Also, is that feather loss due to molting or are those ones getting picked on a lot? Breaking up sightlines more might help the situation.

 

[shanadienne]

Molting, plus the occasional rude cockerel.

And no, one of those hens is like #4 in the pecking order. (Small black one right against the coop in the second picture.) She sounded kind of mad about being in the pile but didn't make any effort to break it up or leave. More of a "why am I surrounded by all these uncool hens" mad. The others are all kinda middling.

They only do it when the flock is relaxed, and they don't seem at all distressed. It's just weird because I've had chickens my whole life and never saw adult hens do such a thing. Only babies.