Some animals sleep during the day and sleep during the night. When it comes to chickens, you may wonder if they sleep during the day or at night?
So, do chickens sleep during the day? Chickens are diurnal creatures, which means they are active during the day and sleep at night. However, they do sleep during the day, but for a short period of time. They take quick naps when they feel tired. Other than that, they will be active foraging for food throughout the day.
When Do Chickens Sleep During the Day?
In the early morning, chickens will go outside and start to look for food. During the morning they are active and will not likely see them taking a quick nap.
In the afternoon, most will be tired from foraging for food and will nap. This is especially true on a hot day when they are preening and dust bathing in the sun.
When they take a quick nap, you’ll notice they will keep one eye open at all times. This is to watch out for predators or a threat nearby.
As they are napping, they will either stand or lie down on the ground if it’s warm.
A chicken should not be sleeping for a long time during the day. If they are, there is something wrong with the chicken which needs attention.
Where Do Chickens Sleep During the Day?
Chickens will usually sleep where they feel most comfortable. During the day, they spend most of their time outdoors.
It’s usually hot during the day, so they will always find somewhere that provides shelter from the sun. This means you will find your chickens taking a quick nap under trees, bushes, and sometimes perching on the tree.
In some cases, the chickens will go inside the coop to sleep during the day. Anywhere that they can find a cover from the hot sun, you can find them there.
Depending on how hot the ground is, some chickens will lay on the ground and some will sleep on one foot.
Can Chicken Sleep Too Much in the Day?
How much they sleep in a day will depend on their age.
For baby chickens, they will sleep more during the day than an adult would. They make take multiple naps throughout the day. This is normal for them and the amount of sleep will be reduced as they get older.
For adult chickens that are between 5 months and 2 years old, they will not sleep too often. If they do, it will be a quick nap lasting no more than 3-5 minutes.
At this age, they are usually too busy foraging for food throughout the day.
When it comes to older chickens, they are tired more often during the day. For that reason, you may see them sleep during the day. However, each sleep session will be about 5-10 minutes.
Reasons Why Chickens Sleep In the Day
Sometimes, chickens will sleep more than usual during the day. For most chicken owners, when they see this, they may be worried.
Below are the 4 reasons to help you identify if your chicken is not feeling well, or it’s normal for them:
Age
Age is an important factor in the amount of time they sleep during the day. When chickens are young, they will take naps often throughout the day. This is normal for them, just like most young animals.
The chicks will often huddle and sleep together.
When chickens get older, their body will become weaker and feel more tired. You may notice old chickens sleeping throughout the day more often. This isn’t anything to worry about.
Boredom
Chickens do get bored and when they do, they will often sleep during the day. This can happen if they don’t have a lot of space to move around in the coop. Also, if they are kept in the coop and not able to free-range during the day.
Chickens are active creatures and always on the move foraging for food when there’s daylight.
If they are kept in the coop and nowhere to go, the chickens will sleep during the day.
Illness
When a chicken is ill, it will stay in one place and sleep. Since it’s unusual for chickens to sleep during the day, you should keep an eye on them.
A chicken that is ill will sleep for a prolonged period. Sometimes, the illness will pass away quickly, and they will recover.
If the chicken sleeps often during the day and not eating and drinking anything, this is a sign the illness could be much more serious.
If you feel the chicken is ill, separate them from the rest of the flock right away. This will prevent any diseases that the chicken has from getting passed to other chickens.
If you’re unsure why your chicken is sick, the best thing to do is to seek medical attention right away.
Weather
The temperature plays an important role in how active your chickens are. During the summer and warmer months, the chickens will be active in foraging for food. They will not sleep that much when it’s warm outside.
As the weather turns colder, the chickens will be less active. They do this to conserve energy to keep themselves warm.
Therefore, if it’s winter and your chickens are often seen sleeping during the day, it’s normal for them. This applies to all chickens of all ages.
Conclusion
Chickens do sleep during the day, but it’s usually a quick nap of about 5-10 minutes. They will take several naps during the day when they are tired. The only time you should be worried is if your chicken is sleeping for a long period of time during the day. When this happens, it usually means they are sick. It’s best to separate them from the rest of the flock and monitor them closely.
