Why are they smushing each other?

[cookinmom]

OK my 6-wk old younguns are doing something weird and I have to know if it's normal. When I put them up for the night, they all come in, have their snack, and most of them (the girls mainly) will preen and get a drink and start settling down for the night. Lately though a few, seeming to be mostly the young roos, will get in this big pile right by the door. They stand up and try to crowd up against the door or the wall and get as close as possible. Sometimes there is one of my girls in there getting smushed. All this is accompanied by a lot of very loud peeping. Sometimes the ones on the inside will press their way out of the pack. I don't know why they're doing this, and it is kind of disturbing to watch. They act like their waiting for their little chicken door to pop back open so they can go back out and play. Last night I opened it so they could see it was dark out there, but they still kept pushing up against the wall.
Is this OK? Does anybody elses birds do this?

 

[countrygirl4513]

the way my house and run are set up... i just cut a hole at the base of the door that stays open all the time. the house is completely fenced in. my peeps are on a schedule they set themselves. their smart and go in at dusk on their own. they always sleep under the lamps at a back corner of the house. next morning i go to call them if they aren't already out and they come a running. but i've never heard of them doing that like you say. could be they are just waiting for the exit to pop back open. however, i have noticed that when dusting.... they will walk over each other and stand on each other. but it doesn't last long. they are just trying to get to the dust bowl.

 

[cookinmom]

That's exactly how they're acting, like they do when one of them finds a good dusting spot. My house is completely fenced too, even the top of the run, so I've seriously considered leaving their little door open at night.
They would have the added benefit of being able to come out when they want in the morning and not wait for me to get out there and open the door for them.
I have actually left there light on for them in the afternoon when we were leaving and I knew we wouldn't be back before dark. We got home, and there they were in their house doing their little chickie stuff. They looked at me like "Hey where's our snack! Can't you see it's dark!"

I was wondering how we would ever get them on their own schedule as they get older. I think this is what I will do.

Thanks, Countrygirl!

 

[bonbon31316]

Mine pile on each other when they are cold. Although I dont know why they would do this by the door...usually its in a corner.

 

[countrygirl4513]

you are very welcome cookinmom.
i just took some great pics of my husband with "slick" our exotic chick on his head. wish i had a way to download them from my phone. they are hilarious!!! i don't have the hookup to get them off my phone.

 

[Napalongtail]

Try putting at least a 25w bulb in their coop just over the roost. Let them go in and once they settle down pick them up and place them on the roost. Piling is usually do to cold, or fear of the dark. It may take up to a week but they'll eventually figure it out.