bedtime routines for your chickens

[Poo Shoes]

sorry forgot subject line on post so reposting.

hi. i have three age groups of chickens . my older bunch puts themselves to bed unfailingly at six. the second group is learning but i have to call them and help coax them in. my last group is just two silkie chicks that i catch and bring in by carrying. what is everyone elses bedtime routine with their chickens. do yours put themselves to bed, or how does it work for you. just curious.

thanks, Poo Shoes from Poo Shoe farm.

 

[pipermark]

They go to bed when they want to .

 

[highcountrychickens]

Pooshoes... from Pooshoe farm

Funny funny handle... farm name -

Eventually they'll learn... I had to shuffle my girls in for a few weeks when they first went out - but their instincts all eventually kick in.

 

[jrleader99]

Both the my chickens and ducks go to their separate areas when it starts to get dark. When I close up the ducks run they start quacking at me as if saying "Hey we were just getting ready to go back out!!!" The chickens are usually settling in as it is getting dark so I close them up and turn out the light, and then they start their nightly chirping. I usually stand there for a few minutes just listening to them - it is so calming and relaxing. I just want to pull up the hammock and listen.

 

[Matt A NC]

I have 6 flocks that pretty much manage themselves. If I wait late enough all I have to do is close the houses, move broodies to roosts from empty nests, pick up/cover all the feed, and get Cream out of the Cherry tree. She is a Blue Cream Light Brown Dutch. She is the perfect size for any predator to pick off, but insists on flying up into tree. She normally stops 10-12 feet up.

In reality, Most nights I start walking them to their lots about an hour before dark. Not really herding them. I tell them it's that time and follow them down through the yard with my Authority. Authority is an old broom handle. They all know that it means, if they stop they get goosed. Don't think I hit or even push them. I just touch their cushion/fuffy butt and they go. Once in, I do head counts and wait for them to eat and go to roost.

Matt

 

[shawnm2639]

I do the same thing but the other day I thought I would sit and wait to see if my 15 br's would go to bed on their own. I was sitting and imbibing and pretty soon dozed a bit...when I opened my eyes my flock was on all the other chairs roosting and around my feet. Geez...I guess they thought we were having a sleep out.

 

[Uppity Peon]

Quote:
Yes, I love the sound of the evening huddle. I call it twittering. I just go out at dusk and they are already inside twittering, and I close their little door.

 

[2DogsFarm]

Quote:

I can just see you & your Authority herding fluffybutts...

My "flock" is just 5 11wk old pullets who haven't been able to leave the coop yet.
But when I go to close them up (there's a poultry-screened door for air & light) at night, just before full dark, they are generally already roosting.

Not on the nice 2-3" wide branches I put in for them to roost on...but on a narrow partition - barely 1' wide.
What
Ever
They use the roost branches like a jungle gym, but not for sleeping

 

[beaken]

I have 48 hens They just turned 9 weeks old. I've never had to round them up I put them in the coop at 3 weeks old.. At 4 weeks i opened the door to the run and at 5 weeks i opened the door to go out and play . They've always been in by dark .

 

[For-The-Love-Of-Chickens]

Ours are all in about sunset and begin the evening chat/preening session. Some go in early and we have a few stragglers that go in later when everyone else calls them from the roost. Then either DH or I go out a little while later and close up the coop tight for the night.