Why do they go to sleep like this?

[Kkattchixmom]

My babies are almost 3 weeks old and they have been huddling like this by the door at night. They started this a few days after moving to a bigger brooder about 2 weeks ago. The temp under their plate is mild and they relax under it and nap during the day. But come lights out? They always head to the opposite end by the door. I shoo them away, but they come back. I worry they will get too cold or smother each other? Or are they getting themselves ready for the great outdoors when their time comes? Instinct? Should I worry?

 

[Kkattchixmom]

If you are wondering, they have a chunk of sod and a little branch with a bell to play with in the pics

 

[DobieLover]

View attachment 4078626View attachment 4078627My babies are almost 3 weeks old and they have been huddling like this by the door at night. They started this a few days after moving to a bigger brooder about 2 weeks ago. The temp under their plate is mild and they relax under it and nap during the day. But come lights out? They always head to the opposite end by the door. I shoo them away, but they come back. I worry they will get too cold or smother each other? Or are they getting themselves ready for the great outdoors when their time comes? Instinct? Should I worry?

If they wanted to be under the heat source, they'd be under it. They are huddled to keep warm and for comfort. This is very normal.
They are very crowded in there. They should have 2 sq ft of unobstructed space per chick at that age.
I would also get them into a larger brooder or, better yet, into their coop with some perches in there. They won't start roosting until many weeks old as they have no adults to teach them but instinct will drive them to roost as high as they can get.

 

[Kkattchixmom]

Their actual space is 2ft ×4ft total, this is just the corner they keep cuddling in. They do have a few arches to roost on as well as an apple tree branch across the 2ft span near the middle, so it's not quite as small a pictured. The little one in the picture is just for playing.

 

[rosemarythyme]

How are you handling "lights out?" Are they exposed to a natural day/night cycle (i.e. a large window nearby) as their indicator, or are you flipping a light switch off?

The end they're huddling by, can they see light from another room or another part of the house if indoors? Just wondering if there's something that's specifically attracting them to that corner...

 

[Kkattchixmom]

How are you handling "lights out?" Are they exposed to a natural day/night cycle (i.e. a large window nearby) as their indicator, or are you flipping a light switch off?

The end they're huddling by, can they see light from another room or another part of the house if indoors? Just wondering if there's something that's specifically attracting them to that corner...

It could be the lights and sounds coming from the rest of the house? As far as light and bedtime routine? They have natural light most of the day unless it's really cloudy and dark, then I will leave the light on (They are in my laundry room) I do have some plants starting across from their room with a grow lights on a timer. It goes off at 7pm. I give them a little night light for a little while then turn it off too, I want to make it gradual.

 

[redinator]

It could be the lights and sounds coming from the rest of the house? As far as light and bedtime routine? They have natural light most of the day unless it's really cloudy and dark, then I will leave the light on (They are in my laundry room) I do have some plants starting across from their room with a grow lights on a timer. It goes off at 7pm. I give them a little night light for a little while then turn it off too, I want to make it gradual.

I was the same with mine in the beginning. Until they were about 3 weeks old, I would turn on lullaby music and gradually lower the lights, close curtains. By the 4th week I'd abruptly turn off the lights, put a blanket over their pen and tell them to pipe down.

 

[redinator]

Their actual space is 2ft ×4ft total, this is just the corner they keep cuddling in. They do have a few arches to roost on as well as an apple tree branch across the 2ft span near the middle, so it's not quite as small a pictured. The little one in the picture is just for playing.View attachment 4078628

Off topic: Where did you get that feeder? The ones I see the most are the gravity/trough ones for chicks and the bucket style w ports for adults.

 

[Kkattchixmom]

Off topic: Where did you get that feeder? The ones I see the most are the gravity/trough ones for chicks and the bucket style w ports for adults.

My very nerdy husband, who hates chickens and wants nothing to do with them, whipped it up on his 3d printer! The top in it right now is a cottage container, but was designed for pvc pipe, I will upgrade that later. Food safe filament, pretty sure he got the pattern off of "Thingiverse" website. I think he secretly likes them and probably plays with them when I'm not home

 

[redinator]

My very nerdy husband, who hates chickens and wants nothing to do with them, whipped it up on his 3d printer! The top in it right now is a cottage container, but was designed for pvc pipe, I will upgrade that later. Food safe filament, pretty sure he got the pattern off of "Thingiverse" website. I think he secretly likes them and probably plays with them when I'm not home

It's genius he should patent that, seriously. I'll buy one or pay for the materials to have him make me one.