Chicken Sitter wondering when chickens get up

[valvashon]

All-

I am watching a friends girls for the week, and made a mistake when shutting the coop for the night. I didn't latch the egg door on the upstairs of the coop properly. You have to put a padlock (not locked) to keep the latch shut. I put the padlock on the bottom door and they were able to pop out the top door and jump down. My wife found the top door off and the girls out in the yard this morning.

My question is this- what time did they likely get up this morning and how long had they been out? When she opened the bottom door they went wild for the food and water which was inside of the coop, as if it had been a while since they ate. I read that other chicken sitting thread and hope I haven't stressed out the chickens.

There wasn't an egg this morning but this might be the one laying chickens day off.

Val

 

[myhubbycallsmechickeemama]

My girls start milling around when it starts getting light outside. If they were in the yard I'm sure they weren't starving but they may have been thirsty. I'm sure they will be fine!

 

[TwoCrows]

My girls are up at the crack of dawn. I go outside as soon as it is light enough to see and they are waiting at the pop hole door, waiting for me to open it up for the day. Late to bed, early to rise!

 

[Delta2 23]

They get up and go to sleep with the sun. During the winter, the chickens are in bed by four or five, when it starts to get dark.
Being out in the garden should've been fine. It wouldn't stress them out, most liekly they enjoyed it. Our chickens scramble for a chance to be let out of their run area.

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

Now that I'm retired, getting up at the crack of dawn like I used to when I was having to get ready for work, just isn't my 'MO" anymore!

I don't latch their inside the run coop door but do have it closed each night. They have a covered secured run.

So my big, burly rooster, being the bossman that he is, pops open the door at daybreak every morning and escorts his ladies out into their run.....while I'm still zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I wonder if he head butts it open or does a karate kick.......