Good morning,
I've checked out old posts on this subject and just wanted to add to the discussion. I have chickens that are out at night. The coop stays open as the coop is in my fenced in yard with 4 guard dogs trained to protect the birds (chickens, guinea fowl). The yard is not predator proof by any means but the only creatures to show up on my critter cams is the occasional Opossum that I have to dispose of in the mornings when I find them not "playing" possum after meeting the dogs. We have several varieties of chickens including a barnyard mix. The only chickens showing this strange behavior are my 8 Leghorn hens. The hens in question retire to the coop very early, usually around 6pm, it stays light until after 8 currently. Then around 1am I see the hens out and spread across the yard. We have a security light, but it is not bright enough to allow chickens to find bugs, but the hens are out there moving slowly and looking for insects. We used to lock them up at night and the Leghorn hens would always be at the door in the morning waiting to get out.
The issue doesn't seem to affect them or their egg laying, it's just peculiar. They are not out due to being afraid of coop predation, the coop is large enough with lots of empty roosts, there is food available at all times, hence the possums. It seems to be just strange behavior the chickens have picked up, maybe just like dogs and their owners being alike, the chickens are mimicking me, I don't sleep either and seem to have the same hours as the chickens, lol. Just thought I'd share. The photos are taken in night vision mode and seem brighter than the actual yard.
I've checked out old posts on this subject and just wanted to add to the discussion. I have chickens that are out at night. The coop stays open as the coop is in my fenced in yard with 4 guard dogs trained to protect the birds (chickens, guinea fowl). The yard is not predator proof by any means but the only creatures to show up on my critter cams is the occasional Opossum that I have to dispose of in the mornings when I find them not "playing" possum after meeting the dogs. We have several varieties of chickens including a barnyard mix. The only chickens showing this strange behavior are my 8 Leghorn hens. The hens in question retire to the coop very early, usually around 6pm, it stays light until after 8 currently. Then around 1am I see the hens out and spread across the yard. We have a security light, but it is not bright enough to allow chickens to find bugs, but the hens are out there moving slowly and looking for insects. We used to lock them up at night and the Leghorn hens would always be at the door in the morning waiting to get out.
The issue doesn't seem to affect them or their egg laying, it's just peculiar. They are not out due to being afraid of coop predation, the coop is large enough with lots of empty roosts, there is food available at all times, hence the possums. It seems to be just strange behavior the chickens have picked up, maybe just like dogs and their owners being alike, the chickens are mimicking me, I don't sleep either and seem to have the same hours as the chickens, lol. Just thought I'd share. The photos are taken in night vision mode and seem brighter than the actual yard.
