Do Chickens Sleep at Night? A Guide for Chicken Keepers

As chicken owners, one of the essential aspects of caring for your feathered friends is ensuring they get a good night’s sleep. But do chickens sleep at night? The short answer is yes, they do! However, understanding their sleep patterns, preferences, and ensuring they have the right environment to rest is crucial for their well-being.  Well rested chickens will be healthier and produce great eggs. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into everything you need to know about chickens and their sleep habits.

Chicken Coop: The Ultimate Sleeping Sanctuary

The chicken coop serves as the primary sleeping quarters for your flock. It’s where they retreat at night to rest, protected from potential predators and the elements. When designing or choosing a coop, factors such as size, ventilation, and layout play a vital role in promoting quality sleep for your chickens.

Even within the confines of a safe coop chickens will naturally sleep with one eye open to keep an eye out for predators.  It’s just an instinctive behaviour.  

They need enough space to be able to spread out on their roosting bars if they want to.  I allow around 30cm per bird.  Although in my experience the chickens tend to huddle together when they roost to keep themselves warm and protected.  It probably just feels great to sleep next to your pals! 

Nesting Boxes and Roosting Bars

Roost bars within the coop mimic natural perches where chickens prefer to sleep.  The wild chickens who are ancestors of domestic chickens would have found a high up tree branch safe from predators to roost or sleep. Ensuring there is enough length of roosting bars, positioned at different heights, accommodates the preferences of various chickens.  All chicken flocks have a pecking order, different height roosting bars allow for the chickens to roost at the height appropriate to where they sit in the pecking order.  Additionally older birds may struggle to fly up to higher perches. 

During winter chickens like to fluff their feathers over their feet to keep them toasty warm, so a nice solid flat roosting bar lets them do this.

Within the coop nest boxes provide a cozy spot for hens to lay eggs.  Sometimes chickens will even sleep in the nesting box, which in my opinion is not a good idea.  I discourage this behaviour in my coop because chickens poo when they are roosting.  Chickens roosting in nesting boxes will mean soiled, dirty eggs.  I ensure that there is sufficient roosting space on the roosting bars, and keep the roosting bars higher than the nesting boxes.  This keeps the chickens out of the nesting boxes at night.  

Understanding Chicken Sleep Patterns

Chickens, like many other creatures, have distinct sleep patterns. They experience both deep sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. During deep sleep, chickens may tuck their heads under their wings and remain relatively still. In REM sleep, their eyes move rapidly, and they may exhibit twitching, slight movements they even make little noises and vocalisations.  

When it is dusk chickens will find somewhere to sleep.  This usually means going into their coop, hopping onto their roosting bars and settling down for the night.  They will stay there until dawn.  This means that during the winter, when the nights are long, they will sleep for much longer than during the summer, when the nights are short.  Chickens vision is poor at night, so it is much safer for them to be safely roosting.  

Our chickens take themselves into their coop as soon as the dusk gathers.  I simply go out and ‘tuck them in’ make sure that they are all in and close the door of the coop to prevent draughts (especially in winter) and keep them safe.  

If for any reason they cannot get into their coop they will find another high up place near their coop to roost.  This happened to us once, I think an animal came and scared them from the coop just at dusk and so they all went off to find somewhere to roost that felt safe to them (on a fence or a log pile).  When I came to ‘tuck them in’ they were not there and I had to go and find them.  Interestingly they did not stick together but went separately to find safety for the night.

Natural Instinct and the Pecking Order

Chickens are creatures of habit and follow a natural pecking order within the flock. The dominant hen often chooses the highest place on the roosting bar, while others arrange themselves accordingly. This hierarchy ensures each chicken finds its secure place to rest, minimizing potential conflicts that could disrupt sleep.

Factors Affecting Chicken Sleep

Several factors can influence the quality and duration of chicken sleep:

1. Environmental Conditions

Cold nights during the winter months may require additional insulation in the coop to keep chickens warm. I would never actually heat the coop, for risk of fire, just provide extra insulation.  Chickens are hardy creatures and their feathers provide natural insulation.  If you are adding extra winterproofing to your coop make sure that you don’t inadvertently reduce the ventilation.  Warmth is good, but also ventilation.  And remember that heat rises and so the top of the coop will be the warmest place.  You could install your roosting bars higher up for the winter.

Conversely, during hot weather, good ventilation is crucial to prevent overheating.  With our coop set up we can leave the door to the henhouse open, but the chickens are still within a protected safe area.  This allows for extra ventilation.    

2. Predators and Disturbances

The chicken is a prey animal, so they’re naturally wary of potential predators. Secure coops and vigilant protection against predators are essential for ensuring your chickens feel safe and can sleep soundly without disturbances.

3. Artificial Light and Daylight Hours

Exposure to artificial light can disrupt chickens’ natural sleep-wake cycle, affecting their ability to achieve quality rest. Our chickens follow the natural cycle of the earth, we do not provide any aritifial light.  I think it is important for them to take a rest from egg laying through the winter when they naturally need to.  

Common Sleep-Related Concerns

1. Sleep Deprivation

Just like humans, chickens can suffer from sleep deprivation, which can lead to health problems, sick chickens and decreased egg production. Ensuring they have a quiet, secure environment and are not disturbed by loud noises or predators is essential for preventing sleep disturbances.

2. Red Mites and Health Issues

Red mites are common parasites that can infest chicken coops, causing discomfort and sleep disturbances for your flock. Regular cleaning and inspection of the coop can help prevent infestations and ensure your chickens stay healthy.  A red mite infestation can be enough to stop chickens from going into their coop at night.  If you are struggling to get your chickens to bed then consider whether or not they are being bitten by red mites through the night.  

We use diatomaceous earth (DE) as a preventative to keep the red mites at bay. 

3. Broody Hens and Chicks

A broody hen may spend extended periods sitting on eggs to hatch them, disrupting their usual sleep patterns. Providing separate nesting boxes for broody hens and ensuring chicks have a warm, safe environment can help minimize disturbances to the rest of the flock.

Tips for Promoting Quality Sleep

– Provide Enough Space: Ensure your coop has enough room to accommodate the number of chickens in your flock comfortably.

– Maintain a Clean Environment: Regularly clean and maintain the coop to prevent the buildup of waste and parasites.

– Offer Proper Roosts: Position roosting bars at varying heights to accommodate chickens’ preferences and physical abilities.

– Minimize Stress: Keep disturbances and loud noises to a minimum, especially during nighttime hours.

– Monitor Health: Keep an eye out for signs of illness or discomfort that may affect your chickens’ sleep.

FAQ

Do chickens sleep when it is dark?

Yes, when it is dark at night chickens will sleep.  Once dawn breaks they will wake up.  If left in the dark during the day they will not sleep.  They follow the natural day/night cycles, unless their behaviour is being manipulated with artificial lights.

Should chickens be put away at night?

Chickens will put themselves away at night.  When the sun goes down and the light starts to fade they know to go into their coop to find their roosting bars and go to sleep.  Many chicken owners, myself included like to check that they are in their coops, but they can get themselves there.

How many hours do chickens sleep at night?

Chickens will sleep for as long as it is dark, so in the winter this may be for 14 hours or more depending on your latitude and in summer it could be for as few as 6 hours.

Do chickens get cold at night?

No, chickens have feathers that provide insulation.  They also huddle together to share heat with their flock. 

How do you get chickens to sleep on roost?

Chickens will naturally sleep on a high safe place.  So to get them to sleep on a roost, provide a roosting bar that is higher than the other sleeping options and one that feels safe to them.

Do chickens sleep standing up?

Yes sort of.  They stand on their roosting bars, but their legs are bent and they are relaxed.  They are not standing tall, but they are upright and on their feet.

Conclusion

In conclusion, ensuring your chickens get a good night’s sleep is essential for their overall health and well-being. By understanding their natural sleep patterns, providing a secure and comfortable environment, and addressing any potential sleep disturbances, you can help your feathered friends enjoy quality rest and thrive. So, do chickens sleep at night? Absolutely, and with the right care and attention, they’ll be snoozing peacefully in their cozy coop every night.

Tell me more about your experience with chickens and sleep, do your chooks get a good night’s sleep and are they healthy and happy chickens?  I would love to hear in the comments below.