4 AM: A problem or totally normal?

[SurferchickinSB]

Oh, sorry, I misunderstood, just think it’s really odd that they are even awake when it is dark.

I guess it is you that is running around in front of their coop, LOL!

 

[blackandtan]

Is ignoring them possible? Or are they super noisy? I’d definitely stop feeding them though, you’re setting them in that pattern. Could be as simple as a lot of mice or a rat in the coop, try some traps

 

[BGcoop]

When you say making a lot of noise that wakes you up, what exactly do you mean? Like are they making alarm type calls? Are they singing egg songs? Are they squabbling about roost position for some reason at that time in the morning?
I agree that if they are in a secure confinement at night, it is probably best to ignore them and definitely not feed them at that time, because you are for sure training them to keep doing it(easy to say than do-i know)....now if I could just figure out how to train my dog to stop needing to poo at 3am

 

[2 many chickens]

Maybe feed them right before they go to bed for the night?
It'll be a habit that's hard to break. Maybe try ignoring them? Is that possible? Are they that loud that you can hear them from inside your house?

 

[blackandtan]

It only takes one hen to start some nonsense and set them all off, if she gets disturbed she’ll bump someone else from their spot and on and on....

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Since we live next to neighbors, I need to keep them quiet. I tried to ignore them the first time they did it but they continued making noise for another half hour until I got up. It sounded like they were shoving everyone else around or possibly fighting, which is weird because they never fight when in the coop.
We already had a neighbor tell us they will call on us if they hear our birds that early again.
And once again I say that our dogs would have alerted us to anything being in the chickens' yard, they're great at alerting us. So I definitely know that nothing is out there because I take one of the dogs with me when I got out due to my fear of the dark and the dog(s) never react.

 

[2 many chickens]

If it's totally dark they should sleep and wait until morning to be fed. Maybe cut off that motion light so they will have darkness.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

If it's totally dark they should sleep and wait until morning to be fed. Maybe cut off that motion light so they will have darkness.

That motion light is needed in case a predator gets into their yard.

 

[BGcoop]

Set up some cameras maybe to see if you can figure out what is starting the noise in the first place? Maybe something small is going through that isn’t being caught by the lights and is already gone by the time you and the dogs get out there?

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Set up some cameras maybe to see if you can figure out what is starting the noise in the first place? Maybe something small is going through that isn’t being caught by the lights and is already gone by the time you and the dogs get out there?

I already said that nothing is in their yard. Our amazing dogs would have alerted us to it as I keep saying. They hear everything outside so we would have been alerted