Why do chickens sleep above the ground?

Question

Why do chickens sleep above the ground? I have lots of chickens and I have always wondered that.

Answer 1

In the wild if they slept on the ground they would be easy prey for animals like coyotes so they sleep up in trees.

Answer 2

Birds generally roost in the trees at night for protection from predators as do certain mammals.

Humans do it to an extent, ever wonder why we always situate our bedrooms upstairs?

Answer 3

Chickens roost high like every one said to protect themselves from other animals also did you know chickens are blind at night this is another reason they go high  and they also like to look down and see what may be on the ground this is before it gets real dark the roos do it to survey there turf and to watch over the flock of hens and will warn others if danger is near.

Answer 4

Chickens roost to feel safe.They try to avoid being attacked by preditors while they sleep.

Answer 5

chickens and many other birds sleep on places higher than ground level as an instinctual protective mechanism to guard themselves from ground predators such as weasels, and rodents that would want to eat them. sometimes hawks can get them too from above.

Answer 6

Its a natural instinct to sleep out of reach of predators and many chickens still have the instinct in them. I find most of mine sleep on the shelf in their shed rather than the floor and before they realised ferral cats climb fences I had a few roosting there (sadly they were killed). I also have 2 that insist on roosting outside on top of the bantam shed. They'll sleep where they feel safe... (don't we all?)

Answer 7

Chickens naturally "roost" (sleep above the ground) in order to feel safe and secure from predators. In the wild they roosted in trees, so the predators (fox, bobcat, dog) could not get them. It is just something they do naturally.