Chickens Afraid of the Dark

[agirly4chicks]

I have 10 - 10 week old chicken and the temps are getting high enough at night, so last night I decided to unplug the light that I had in there coop. It was around 9 pm so very dark outside by then. All I had was a flash light and when the light went out they all started to cry. Okay not with tears and runny noses but they were talking up a storm. So I gave in and pluged the light back up. How do I get them comfortable to cut the light off without them going into complete shock. I don't want them to stress out.

Help my little scardy cats (I mean chickens) please.

Angie

 

[sred98]

LOL! Can't help you, but wanted you to know yours weren't the only chickens afraid of the dark! My 1 yr old Cornish hen still screams when I turn the light off! LOL!

So, now the younger ones and the guineas have to have the light on, too. I just leave it on for them.

I don't think they'll get too hot, but my barn is pretty large. I think it will also help them if a predator comes around. They won't be caught unawares.

The bottom line is, Petunia wants the light on, so Petunia gets the light on.

Maybe you could switch to a smaller light, like a nightlight. Kind of like you would with a kid.

Shelly

 

[BawkinOnTheBench]

If you don't want to leave the light on, let them scream for a few nights - they will get used to it. Mine did this (although much younger) when they were still in the brooder and it was finally warm enough to turn off the light. Since yours are older, it might take longer.

 

[For-The-Love-Of-Chickens]

I just posted this topic a couple of days ago! I couldn't take the terrified peeping! (And mine also decided to fly and crash around the dark coop.) They are 11 weeks old and we decided to buy them a red 25 watt party light that will go on when the nights are above freezing, and the heat lamp will stay on on cold nights. We didn't realize that we have also inadvertently trained them to come into the coop and go to bed when the light goes on. If we don't turn the light on, they stay out in the run and peep and don't know what to do with themselves! Even if we stand in the coop and call them, they won't come in. But turn the light on and they file in, hop up on the roost, and go to sleep!

Some suggestions I received were to gradually lower the wattage on your bulbs until you can turn it off. Others just said turn it off and let them sort it out which takes 2-3 days.

 

[gritsar]

You can turn the light off and let them get over it. I've yet to read of a chicken dying from fear of the dark.

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
I agree, but even so, I put a red bulb on a dimmer switch. Worked out very well. One unexpected advantage is now that the chickens are all grown up, I can switch it on in the middle of the night to check on things and nobody gets off the roost, or wakes up.

 

[sulfridge4]

Thanks for the post! I have been having the same problem with our chickens who are 7 weeks old. I tried to put the lower wattage bulbs in but it doesn't seem to help. I have 50 of them and they are all in the corner piling up on each other. I worry about them killing each other.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Hi and welcome to BYC!
I agree that you do have to watch for "pile ups", with the ones on the bottom getting smothered, but sooner or later that they have to get used to the dark. I use a penlight if I need to go to the coop at night. Enough light for me to see, but not enough to get the chickens up and moving around.

 

[sulfridge4]

The penlight is a great idea! I am always going in after dark so I can get a count. They seem to stay outside until the last ray of sunshine is gone.

 

[valentinebaby]

FYI: I read in one of the chicken books that you should start turning their brooder light off for 25 mins. per day, increasing the time by 5 mins. each day, so they don't freak out when you place them in the coop and they have to adjust to the sun's schedule. Seemed to work pretty good for mine. I too placed a pink light bulb in there after they started going into the run to pull them in at night and it works like a charm. I leave it on for about 30 mins. til they settle on their roosts and then turn it off.