Chickens loud at dusk

[rvlu]

Hello, my 12 week old chickens get loud and start pacing when night falls. After that, they eventually got to sleep. 2 chickens actually go up the ladder into the top of the coop. The rest stay on the bottom of the coop. Is this all normal?

 

[bobbi-j]

For some reason, chickens seem to feel the need to raise a fuss at bedtime. Mine do, too - the older ones and the young ones. Must be part of their settling-in routine.

 

[aart]

I call that the 'Roost Time Rumble'.....
.......lots of bitchinnmoanin and peckinnpushing whilst they sort out who's gonna sleep where.

I would ask ... what is 'top and bottom of coop'?
One of those coop/run combos?
Is there enough roosting room in the actual coop?
Pics would really help here...coop/run inside and out.
Actual dimensions(feet by feet) and number/age of all birds.

 

[centrarchid]

I like accessing roost to be rapid and quite. Going to roost occurs during the high risk time each day when predators are on the prowl. Lots of ruckus attracts those predators. Lots of ruckus increases odds someone is not getting and safe quickly. Ideally minimal ruckus when all is normal decreases odds a real problem will be ignored because myself and other anti-predator responders are desensitized to lots of noise.

Watch how they access roost. Look for bottlenecks. Consider increasing light slightly so they can see well enough while settling in.

 

[Intheswamp]

centrarchid, thanks for your take on the noise. That is definitely something that I haven't given much (any?) thought to. What is your regular roost arrangement to keep from getting the bottlenecks?

As for predators homing in on the flock... Predators range and eventually will cross the scent of the chickens where they were ranging and track them back to the coop. Once they have a fix on the coop then they know where to return to. How important do you think the noise factor is in respect to the overall chance of the flock being discovered by other means? I would think that reducing the noise is one of several factors in a multi-faceted approach to deterring or preventing predation....each factor adding to the overall security (or insecurity) of the flock...building blocks of the fortress?

Ed

 

[aart]

I like accessing roost to be rapid and quite. Going to roost occurs during the high risk time each day when predators are on the prowl. Lots of ruckus attracts those predators. Lots of ruckus increases odds someone is not getting and safe quickly. Ideally minimal ruckus when all is normal decreases odds a real problem will be ignored because myself and other anti-predator responders are desensitized to lots of noise.

Watch how they access roost. Look for bottlenecks. Consider increasing light slightly so they can see well enough while settling in.

This has always made me wonder...... why to cocks mostly crow at dawn?
Dawn being another prime hunting time for predator.

 

[centrarchid]

This has always made me wonder...... why to cocks mostly crow at dawn?
Dawn being another prime hunting time for predator.

It is not just about keeping yourself alive. The risk of death by a predator must be balanced by getting your genetics into the next generation. Crowing from the roost gives neighbors / rivals a handle on your location and ability to defend interest. It advertises your quality to hens in rival harems that might try to slip over right after laying an egg for a quickie. It is also a good time to attract pullets leaving their natal harems.

M