Chicks freaking out at night?

[Chickadee95]

Hi all!
I'm in 4-H and have raised 4 chicks for about a month and a half now, and it's time to integrate them into the big flock at the farm.

We've visited this flock of about 40 (all a month and a half old) around dusk several times, and their sleeping habits don't seem normal, but honestly we don't know because we don't have much experience with chickens!
So when it gets dark and all the chicks start going into the coop, they all go to one corner every night. ALL OF THEM. They scrambled into the corner, several chicks DEEP. And they also never simply roost, there's always constant movement and digging and scrabbling to be in the corner.
Last night we tried leaving our chicks there, and one of them, Minnie, got completely lost and couldn't find for a half hour! She was under all the other chickens. We literally had to dig under them to find her.
Maybe this is normal? But it seems desperate and violent to us, and we were worried our Minnie would get squished/suffocated. We closed the ventilation flaps for warmth, thinking that might be the cause-no cigar.

Does anyone know if this is normal? Should we even be concerned at all?
I can take pics tonight if that would help.

Thanks in advance!
~Charis

 

[devora]

Go 4H, rah rah rah!

Sounds normal to me. Chickens can cause quite the scene going to bed. Loud scrambling that you'd think would injure them, yet they all end up eventually sleeping. Go figure.

Hang in there, Minnie!

 

[leadwolf1]

Have you thought about providing them with a nightlight? I know it sounds strange but I put a red nightlight in the coop when mine were little and they settled right down. It will take them several weeks to use the roost...they like being in a chicken pile I would worry though if some are getting squished...how old are they?

 

[mcjessen]

We're 4-Her's too. YEAH! I think if they are that young, the piling on top of each other is completely normal. I've found that my girls at that age have always been afraid of the dark. I would keep the ventilation open with that many birds in one area. If they are feathered out, I doubt they are piling on top of each other because they're cold. It's probably that they are scared. Adding a light and manually turning it off once they get settled may help. Good luck!

 

[Chickadee95]

It's good to here this is normal! And they're all a month and a half.
Hmmm a nightlight might work, and we'll keep the ventilation open. When I stuck my hand in the midst of them is was quite warm...

Also none of them actually seem to be hurt, it's just my mother protective mother hen instincts kicking in that are worrying for them
Thanks guys!!!!

~Charis