Decided to try letting our chickens sleep outside at night but all they do is huddle by the door and cry nonstop. It's their first time and they're fully feathered and it's not cold outside either. Do I just leave them until they get used to it? They also have a different wooden box to use as a coop to sleep in but they won't use it even when I put them in it.
Chickens crying at night?
- Thread starter GallegosD
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Did they have lights before and not now?
- Thread starter
- #3
Yeah they'd always have a heat lamp on. We have a light outside but I was told to just leave it off
Are they in their coop at night? maybe leave the light on until they acclimate.
- Thread starter
- #5
No they just decide to sit next to the backdoor and cry even if I place them in it myself. Their coop is just a big wooden crate type thing with small doors on it, it's not like a normal coop. I'll try leaving the light on for a bit to see if they decide to sleep in it
I really wouldn't leave them outside at night unsecured, chickens are on the menu to a lot of things, many come out at night.
A good rule of thumb is if a 4 year old could get to your chickens, anything could get to your chickens.
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- #7
Well the area they are in has a fence and chicken wire so nothing can fly or jump in. the box is just there just in case it gets really windy or rainy or something. I could try taking a pic in the morning if I need to.
Post some pics of your setup?
How old are these birds, in weeks?
Had you weaned them off the heat before putting them outside?
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That sounds like prime pickings for predators - it's uncovered and chicken wire can simply be broken through/torn apart by something as small as a raccoon.
Photos of your set up would really help. But from the description thus far, you really need to put them in the coop at night and lock them in. If they're not using this "big wooden crate" then you need to resolve whatever the issue is that's causing them not to use it, whether it's lack of space, ventilation, light, etc.
urbanMike
Chirping
Chickens also coming off the nonstop heat lamp have a panic session and literally are afraid of the dark for what seems like a week. When mine were getting big we moved them to the coop, and as the sun went down, even though they were locked in, they'd all fly up to the vents and hang out in the window and start crying and cramming themselves to be close to the light. And they would start at dusk like clockwork. Kind of amusing actually.
Eventually, they stopped crying, but they kept not using their roost bars and going to the vents until eventually, they were to big. Now they're a year older.
We recently added 3 babies, who I have in a special enclosure I built so the flock can see them, but not harm them. And moved them out from the heat lamp and to that enclosure with one of those heat walls. They are happy all day long to watch the big chickens and scratch grass.
But as soon as the sun starts going down, the panic session starts.
It will pass.
Eventually, they stopped crying, but they kept not using their roost bars and going to the vents until eventually, they were to big. Now they're a year older.
We recently added 3 babies, who I have in a special enclosure I built so the flock can see them, but not harm them. And moved them out from the heat lamp and to that enclosure with one of those heat walls. They are happy all day long to watch the big chickens and scratch grass.
But as soon as the sun starts going down, the panic session starts.
It will pass.
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