Chickens.. Afraid of the Dark??!

[lux_interior]

Every night when it starts to get dark, I go outside to lock my 6 week old chickens up in their coop ( I haven't finished digging chicken wire around their run, so I lock them up at night to be safe) and they are all huddled in one corner peeping really loud. Even after I get them up in the coop, they continue making TONS of noise, and all huddle again in a corner. By morning when I go to wake them up and let them out in the yard, they are all spread out and perching happily, but still at night they always continue their odd behavior.

Does anyone else have chickens who do or have done this? Or have mine gone hopelessly mad...?

 

[Missouri Maiden]

Chickens can't see in the dark, but I think eventually they learn to go to sleep when it starts to get dark. My chickens are about 5 weeks and just now getting used to going to sleep early, and unfortunatly for me getting up early when the sun rises.

 

[vnploveschickens]

I think they are using peeps to move around and get the best sleeping spot. We'd listen outside the door and always thought it was funny and too cute for words.

 

[lux_interior]

So because they can't see in the dark is why they freak out? Mine start doing it before it's actually dark, but about when the sun starts to set... it's still light enough to see, but maybe they know that the dark is coming?

 

[eponagirl]

Well, I just went through this tonite with my 5.5 week old chicks first nite in coop. They do that when they are stressed out....cheeping and running to huddle in the corners. It stressed me out alot because they usually go to sleep early and roost.

They are in the coop, but in the same dog crate brooder they've always been in (I also have older chickens in the coop, so they can't be out yet)...plus another crate just added on for more space. It was upsetting, but finally I had enough and started putting them on their normal roost until they started staying up there. Thankfully I had one or two cooperative ones, but they still must be figuring out the pecking order, because two couldn't get settled...on and off the roost. I ended up turning out the light right when they were all on the roost at the same time and then silence...some even cooed!

They've been fine so far, thank god, because I didn't know if I would get any sleep tonite myself!

My observation has been that as it gets dark they panic a little knowing they have to find a roosting spot...so I made them a roost in the brooder and that helped alot. We also use a ceramic heat emitter instead of the red heat bulb...we have a red one too, but don't need it after the first few days. They have already gotten used to the day/night cycle, so that is a big help. About a week ago they started sleeping on their brooder roosts. I figure with all the change of a move, they got disoriented and panicked about where they should sleep.

 

[LilBizzy]

Mine were like that. As it starts to get dark outside, it's darker in the coop. So they would stand near the door, huddled and peeping until I plugged in the heatlamp. Then they would run in. I'd let them get all settled, and then unplug the light.
One night, my husband plugged in the light, watched them all run in, then he unplugged it.

They all ran back out. He plugged it in, they ran in. He unplugged it, they ran out.

Anyway, I just plugged the light in every night for them.( I get home from work a little after 8pm, and they would be huddled outside) They were 4 months old before they finally learned to go into the coop before it got too dark in there.

 

[RevaVirginia]

I have to believe they're accusing one another incessantly of turning off the sun....

 

[lux_interior]

Thanks so much guys! It's good to know that mine aren't just crazy!

 

[lux_interior]

Quote:

 

[ging3rhoffman]

I put a little night light in the coop for my girls. They dont huddle in the dark anymore. I can peek in and check on them and they seem so much more at ease.