Can chickens see in the dark?!

[CoyoteMagic]

Yup what he said. My windows still just have plastic and wire on them. I just hadn't had time to finish them before winter hit. They did fine all winter.

Go on Freecycle or Craigslist in your area you may find some windows for cheap or even free.

 

[bills]

I think there is only a few birds that can see in darkness, and even owls use echo location to find prey. I think the nighthawk can see, as I have seen them flying around in the dark.

I wonder about the ventilation method your using. With the number of birds you have, you might need a lot of holes. How do you control it in colder, or windy weather, put corks in the holes?

Windows can usually be found pretty cheap at used building supply places. The other choice would be to use clear plastic, or plexiglass, and make a frame for it. $70 for a coop window is to much.

 

[wynedot55]

no chickens can not see in the dark.thats why they go to roost about 30mins before dark.that is also why you move hens at nite,they are alot calmer an easy to catch on the roost.you put windows in your henhouse so they can have light.thats the reason some have timers on their lights.so they come on an wake the hens up.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
You need something like 1/2 to 1 sq ft of vent hole area PER CHICKEN in most situatins. Minimum. That'd have to be a *lotta* holes there....

Cut a window hole, staple hardware cloth over it, then make a hinged or sliding cover for it out of clear acrylic or whatever translucent plastic panel you can scavenge. That way it is openable for ventilation, closeable in bad weather, remains predator-proof either way, and lets in some light.

The fewer hrs of light your hens get, the less eggs you'll get (or the more winter months you'll go without eggs)... letting morning and evening light into the coop really does matter, 'hen happiness and convenience' aside.

Good luck,

Pat

 

[RubberChickenLubber]

I took the light off of my 5 week olds who are in the house. My 3 yr old son keeps getting a light and shining it in the brooder saying, "They they can't see, they have little eyes". So I guess his answer to your question would be, "Unless they have a huge light, they can see anyways"

 

[ruth]

You will definitely need some type of window - not only for light but for ventilation and fresh air especially in summer. Here's our 100 year old coop that came with the old plantation home we just bought. I just spent last weekend fixing the window. It had been nailed shut and that's why it was so dark in there that they couldn't see. After I pried the window open, I nailed hardware cloth on inside and put a latch on window so at night I can close it once they are all inside. It's just now warming up here and it was so smelly inside that coop that I couldn't stand it and I keep the coop clean - the fresh air/ventilation makes all the difference.

Cut a window in a wall like you said, put a board on hinges to cover it in winter or at night, nail hardware cloth to inside wall and you're done.

 

[Snobugs]

We have a solid coop with no windows so during the fall, winter, and early spring I have a heat lamp in their coop. Once its warm and spring/summer gets here I switch out the heat lamp for a CFL in a low watt blue color. It's just enough light (much less then the heat lamps) and still allows me to see them when I check on them before bed without too much light for them.

 

[lukieseggs]

my chickens have never had trouble finding there way around in the dark. but they do seem a bit skidish when there is movement outside of the coop.

 

[johnnny8300]

I just have a backyard coop with 3 chickens. I had a spare security camera so I put it in the coop to see which hens were laying. It has decent night vision. One night I saw my buff orp come down from the roost and go into the nesting box at about 3 AM. A couple hours later my speckled sussex joined her. They may just remember were to go as it is a small coop but there was no moon out and its far from streetlights.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, they can see in the dark. Not as well as some animals, but well enough to get around in the coop if need be. I've had them mount to the roosts in full dark after being disturbed off the roost and didn't have a bit of problem.

No need for a light at all.