Chicks are scared of the dark!

[cushingme]

Help! I have a light in the coup with my approx. 8 week old chicks at night and I keep trying a night light and they freak out! When are they NOT going to be afraid of the dark?

Lost in the dark,

Molly

 

[kerrysmommy]

hmmmm lets see did you take them time to get them ready 4 the dark? and are all of them scared even the older ones?

 

[delynnel]

they will get used to it in a couple nights. try using a red bulb even in the day.

 

[cushingme]

Well my chickens have a large area they are free during the day right up to dusk and then I tell them it bed time and they go to the coup. They are all the same age and they all sit on top of each other when the light is off at the door and make sad little noises!

 

[SabaiFarms]

I have never left a light on at night (I use a ceramic heat emitter) and after 4 weeks my babies still scream their heads off when I turn off their light at bed time. They are more complaining than scared, but it only lasts for about 15 minutes before it's dead silent and I don't hear a peep until after I get up, no matter what time it is.

 

[julie75]

I have 13 to 14 week old chickens and ducks that will not go into their coop if the light is not on. If I cut it off after they go to bed, they will come back out the house into the enclosed run. It's cheaper for me to leave a nite lite on than having to replace them.

 

[ChicksterJo]

They get used to it after a while. It's hard not to make them comfortable because they'll be cheeping alot but they'll settle down. If they are old enough they will feel more comfortable on a roost (I got mine to sleep on a roost at about 3 weeks old). Even if I still had my chicks in a brooder cage I would still turn out the lights for several hours at a time so they will get used to it when they're put in their outdoors housing.

My 13 week olds still make a bit of a fuss on the roost but not because they're afraid of the dark...They want to fight over the best spot! My 3 week olds will make a lot of noise but they get quiet after they find their most comfortable positions. They will go to sleep after a while. It's not that they're uncomfortable - we're uncomfortable because they make a lot of fuss in the process!

 

[gritsar]

I'm going to sound mean, but.... If they are settled in the coop and they are just fussing because you turned the light out...close the door and walk away. They'll get over it.

 

[cushingme]

Thanks! It is my first time with chickens and I have bonded with them so I am being a bit of a softy!

 

[ginormous chicken]

X2 with the screaming more out of complaining then scared. After 15 min. everyone is quiet until the morning. Put a red light in and they will be fine. They might complain but won't die. Don't worry!