Cleaning the coop after dark

[chynasparks]

It's almost time for me to go back to work. School soon to start, I drive a school bus. Been home all summer building our coop/run enclosure for 4 pullets. My routine will be changing. I'll be gone before my peeps rise. I'll have 3 runs a day so coming home for coop maintenance will not be practical. Even if I do drive home to check on them, I won't have time for cleaning and poop scooping. I plan to do all of that in the evening. My question is, as fall approaches, sun sets earlier, time change follows, how will it effect my girls if in the coop scooping. I'll need some light but doesn't have to be bright. They will be in the upper level inside their roost/nest house. I've not cleaning at night before. I usually just do a walk around. It only takes me about 30 minutes to scoop all areas of the sand floor. Worrying about causing stress

 

[Rich386]

I found with mine that they get used to any routine. If you give treats in a red container they react to any red container. I have two doors to my coop one for me to get in the other to their run. When they see me coming they go to their run door. What I am saying is that the change may bother them a bit at first but after a short time it will become the norm.

 

[chynasparks]

Right now they are used to me being around all day. I've had summer off and spent my days tending to them drinking coffee outside the coop just watching them. They are so funny. It may happen, in fact. I'm sure I'll be having to go in after dark when they've already gone to roost. They put themself to bed at dusk. That's my worry. It will have to do though so I guess they will adapt. Just worried about stress. I usually don't bother them after they've gone to roost.

 

[GardenDave]

As has already being said, they will adapt pretty quickly. Just take things reeeeeeeeeeeeeally slowly the first few times just so they don't go nuts. They might be a little worried on the first night but after that for a few nights they'll probably just look at you as if you are crazy for cleaning them out in the dark, and they might even try to explain to you the dangers of foxes and tell you to go inside to your own roost lol. How many chickens do you have? Are there too many, making too much mess to leave until the weekends so they will be outside in the day light when you clean them?

 

[chynasparks]

LOL my RIR Millie will be the one to explain it to me. She's in charge. Your right. I won't be cleaning every night. This is my first flock. Lots to learn. One thing I've learned is I enjoy the heck out of my birds. This is one time that work is not work. But I've read so much about stress to chickens. I might try waiting until. The weekend to clean. I'll scoop today and see how things are. Maybe I good cleaning on Saturdays will be enough. I have 0 odder now so if that changes I'll have to do it more often. Thanks for the help

 

[GardenDave]

Don't worry yourself about it too much. It is only for four isn't it? I have four and clean them once every few weeks and it only takes about half a hour. It's more important to clean regularly if you have chicks in which case you'd have to clean every few days. Chickens are great. I love watching them through the window as I'm washing up and sometimes I'll go to the bedroom windo and just look down on them. Somehow though they always know I'm there. Even if the window is shut and I'm really quiet, and I don't move anything or attract attention to myself they somehow realise I'm there and walk up to the window to see if I have anything for them lol. I'm tempted to go outside now and just sit on the wall with a hand of corn

 

[chynasparks]

That's great! I like to sit inside with them. Millie preens my hair. That's good to know about the cleaning. Maybe I can just do it on the weekend. I can't free range them. Soon a movable run will be built to get them out as much as possible. Thanks for all your advise, it helps.