- Feb 14, 2020
- 71
- 229
- 116
At my height of chicken mania I had 30 chickens of mixed ages from very old to very young to babies with their mom. I found wakeup and go-to-bed times depended on a combination of three things:
1. Age: For sunset, my moms with chicks always took their kids to bed in their dog igloo long before my other chickens. For childless chickens my old ladies were always the first to bed ending with the youngest heading in last. Sunrise was pretty much the same with moms and kids out the door first (you know how kids love to play outside) but getting out of bed for the other chickens was youngest first and the old ladies were always the last out of bed and down the ramp. We old folks like our sleep!
2. Sunrise/sunset times: I'm in Florida so depending on the month the sun rises and sets at different times than in northern states. Again depending on the month those times can vary by as much as an hour south to north.
3. Weather: On sunny days the girls come out earlier because predators are less likely to be around on a sunny morning and go to bed later because the predators come around later on sunny days.
Cloudy days cause a later exit from the coop and an earlier bedtime because it looks darker earlier because of the clouds. On a rainy morning NOBODY wants to come out in the morning except a few hens who actually like to play in puddles and are convinced they won't melt if caught in the rain. Rain towards the end of the day sends everyone but a few intrepid individuals headed for the coop early. And in Florida when it rains it RAINS!
1. Age: For sunset, my moms with chicks always took their kids to bed in their dog igloo long before my other chickens. For childless chickens my old ladies were always the first to bed ending with the youngest heading in last. Sunrise was pretty much the same with moms and kids out the door first (you know how kids love to play outside) but getting out of bed for the other chickens was youngest first and the old ladies were always the last out of bed and down the ramp. We old folks like our sleep!
2. Sunrise/sunset times: I'm in Florida so depending on the month the sun rises and sets at different times than in northern states. Again depending on the month those times can vary by as much as an hour south to north.
3. Weather: On sunny days the girls come out earlier because predators are less likely to be around on a sunny morning and go to bed later because the predators come around later on sunny days.
Cloudy days cause a later exit from the coop and an earlier bedtime because it looks darker earlier because of the clouds. On a rainy morning NOBODY wants to come out in the morning except a few hens who actually like to play in puddles and are convinced they won't melt if caught in the rain. Rain towards the end of the day sends everyone but a few intrepid individuals headed for the coop early. And in Florida when it rains it RAINS!
