Chickens typically sleep perched on roosts during the night. They exhibit a peculiar behavior of sitting on their feet while sleeping, which is quite different from how humans or some other animals rest. Interestingly, Cornish Crosses, due to their weight, opt to sleep on flat, elevated surfaces instead of perches. This behavior helps them maintain balance and comfort during their resting hours.
So, if you have any misconception about how chickens sleep, let’s get to the details and reveal the facts.
How Does a Chicken Sleep?
Usually, chickens are seen hopping or walking towards their roosting areas and then they sit on their feet to sleep with their eyes closed. Their sleep routine follows a tendon-locking mechanism, where the legs bend and the tendons in the toes contract, thus curling their legs downwards around the perch. However, if they are too heavy to perch on the roosting areas, then they choose an elevated and flat surface to sleep on.
Often, a chicken with eyes closed and standing still doesn’t signify that they are sleeping. Rather, it indicates that they are merely resting their eyes, or enjoying the warmth of the sun. It can also be called a leg-locked nap, where they are relaxing and not asleep.
Why Do Chickens Perch?
Chickens perching at night is their natural instinct. They seek a high place where they can sit and sleep. If even they get detached from older hens, or if you raise a chick alone in a box, they would still develop this instinct of perching onto something to sleep at night.
Chickens cannot see completely at night or their vision is reduced so they might not be able to perceive any approaching danger or threat very well. Thus, they perch on an elevated area and sleep from dusk to dawn. Some chickens are heavier sleepers while others are not.
Some chickens are also seen sleeping off the ground, in a dark spot, where they are hard to spot, and tucked in a safe area. Thus, they can have a peaceful sleep and also stay safe and comfortable.
Chicken might drop manure while sleeping at night. If they sleep on the ground, they can soil themselves. Otherwise, they might have to get up from sleep to relieve themselves and move to a different, cleaner space. While they are sleeping off the ground, they can stay clean and sleep without any interruption.
They also choose a fixed spot to sleep every night, which is safe and secure, while sleeping on the ground can lead to inhalation of toxins leading to birds falling sick. Also, mites and harmful insects can bite the chickens, if they sleep on the ground.
What is the Sleeping Time of the Chickens?
The chickens tend to sleep from dusk to dawn irrespective of the change in season. They are also seen to sleep more during the winter and less during the summer. In certain parts of the globe, chickens are seen to sleep 16 hours a day in winter, due to the long, cold, dark, and cloudy nights. Some old hens are seen to live on the perch the entire winter and only come down to eat and drink. During summer, chickens are seen to sleep only for seven or eight hours at night.
Without any intruders or interruption, and if a noise doesn’t bother them, then a chicken can sleep throughout the night. Also, they might even take a nap for two hours during the day, if they feel secure.
Where do Chickens Sleep?
Chickens sleep in spaces where they find it safe. They generally choose an elevated area or off the ground which is free from predators. Based on the perching order, the ones at the bottom rank do not sleep with the rest of the flock.
Often, it gets difficult to fly up to the roosting post or perch on a rod if the chicken is heavy and it also becomes difficult to hop down, as it can make them prone to feet sore or broken legs. But, they still find an elevated place to sleep, even if it is not a proper roost. You can also help them by building a ramp for the chickens or giving them upturned pieces of firewood to sleep on. Hens that have chicks tend to sleep close to the ground or try to find the lowest perches available so that they can sleep near the chicks.
Are Chickens Susceptible to Predators at Night?
Yes, chickens are susceptible to many nocturnal predators at night, such as coyotes, raccoons, stray dogs, foxes, owls, cats, possums, wolves, bears, and weasels.
How to Set Up a Perch for the Chickens?
You need to choose an area for the coop so that if there are any droppings on the land it won’t create any problem. The roosting bar should not be set up above the food and water sources. Also, do not put the nesting box above the areas which are used for walking.
Here are the steps that you need to follow, for a perfect perch setup:
Choosing the Perching Area
There should be enough space for the chickens to move freely. Try to create an even space throughout the coop. Never set up the roosting bars in a vertical line, create different levels. The bar placed at the lowest end, should be the longest and protruding. Next, the bar should be in recessing inward order and closer to the wall and the bar should reach higher and closer to the ceiling. The chickens at the highest rank of pecking should be at the top and the ones with lower ranks should be at the bottom.
Using Perfect Materials
Use materials that would be easy for the bird to grip, such as wooden dowel rods, natural branches, tobacco sticks, and a two-by-four board. Do not use metal as during summer they can get heated up and during winter they tend to get extremely cold, brutally affecting their tender feet. You can try grippy rubber poles and sand down the wooden perches, otherwise, it can cause bumblefoot. Remember the coop roosts should be thick enough, at least 2 to 5 inches in diameter, so that it can support more than two birds without the risk of breaking.
Put Something Under the Perches
You have to put something under the perches so that it makes cleaning up the droppings easier. You can place tarps which can be washed later, otherwise place straw or wood shavings. You can also place sandboxes so that you can replace the sand without creating any nuisance. Alternatively, wood shavings can be used, but remember to replace them from time to time.
Why is the Chicken Sleeping on the Ground?
A chicken sleeping on the ground can be a sign of illness, but there are other issues as well, such as – if the chicken is feeling uncomfortable or needs to cool off faster, the chicken is being bullied by its flockmates and wants to sleep to avoid confrontation if any bird is knocking them down or if the bird belongs to a lower rank. Chickens cannot fly high, so if the perch is set up too high, then it might not be accessible to them and they need to stay on the ground. Also, heavy chickens prefer to stay on the ground rather than hooping on the bar or flying to the perch.
How Does Inadequate Sleep Affect the Chicken?
Inadequate sleep or sleep deprivation can make a chicken sick. It can also lead to reduced immunity and the body requires more time to replenish the essential nutrients. A good sleep keeps the chicken healthy, alert, and fit for the entire day. Also, a healthy chicken would deliver perfect quality eggs.
