Do you leave a light on in coop at night?

[JesusHChicken]

I just finished my coop a few days ago. Chickens are spending their third night in coop. They're about 14 weeks old.
First night I had to round them up and physically hand each to my wife through chicken door. Second night same routine. Tonight I had about 12 roosting on chicken door ramp, 6 roosting on a tree stump in run, one still walking around, and one leg horn actually in coop! Progress.

Any suggestions on helping them get accustomed to sleeping in coop? We gave them about 30 min to figure things out before intervening. Some walked up ramps to roosting rails. One orph and my bantam flew up. The others we helped up ramps or put directly on roosting rail.

Also, what are your routines for nighttime? Do you leave a light on in coop to help them see at night?

 

[TheCochinMomma]

Yes I leave a light on for them

 

[TheSavage1]

When I first put my chickens out in the coop they did not want to go in without the light. I have an automatic door and I also purchased a timer for the light because I have heard it is not good for them to have light all night long. Tonight was the first night I didn't have the light on when it got dark and they all made it in the coop. Also we did have to help them for a few days when we first put them outside on how to get up in the coop.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

No, I don't have a light in the coop. The chickens usually (on their own) go into to coop to roost at dusk and are all bedded down way before dark.

 

[aart]

I just finished my coop a few days ago. Chickens are spending their third night in coop. They're about 14 weeks old.
First night I had to round them up and physically hand each to my wife through chicken door. Second night same routine. Tonight I had about 12 roosting on chicken door ramp, 6 roosting on a tree stump in run, one still walking around, and one leg horn actually in coop! Progress.

Any suggestions on helping them get accustomed to sleeping in coop? We gave them about 30 min to figure things out before intervening. Some walked up ramps to roosting rails. One orph and my bantam flew up. The others we helped up ramps or put directly on roosting rail.

Also, what are your routines for nighttime? Do you leave a light on in coop to help them see at night?

Well....it depends.
That's the answer to a lot of chicken questions...haha!
Most folks keep birds in coop for a few days to 'home' them before allowing out into run or range, that can help......doesn't always stop the rounding young birds up at night tho. Putting a small light in the coop can help drawn them in, but when you turn it off they may squawk, but they'll get over it. Having lots of windows in the coop can help too, the lighter it is in there the better they go.

Have had chicks that took weeks to learn to go into coop on their own,
made this corral to help gather them. This years batch learned in one.day.
First night had to chase them down; second night put one of those battery push lights on; third night no chase, no light, never had to do anything again.
I did do a lot of scratch grains on the ramp tho so they could learn to navigate it comfortably.

 

[lazy gardener]

Nice post Aart.

 

[TheCochinMomma]

Right now mine have no choice but to be stuck in their coupe, because we just discovered we have some foxes that like to roam on our yard, it sucks I know they don't want to be there!

 

[JesusHChicken]

Thank you aart and ALL for your insights. I have a LED lantern inside coop that I'll leave on this evening to see if that helps. Unfortunately I don't have any with windows installed yet. Planned on upcycle or re-purpose old house windows. I'll probably breakdown and spend the cash for sliding shed windows. Soon as they learn coop is HQ they can start free ranging.

 

[aart]

asd

Thank you aart and ALL for your insights. I have a LED lantern inside coop that I'll leave on this evening to see if that helps. Unfortunately I don't have any with windows installed yet. Planned on upcycle or re-purpose old house windows. I'll probably breakdown and spend the cash for sliding shed windows. Soon as they learn coop is HQ they can start free ranging.

Might want to buffer it a bit so not too bright.
Think about top hinged windows, can leave open all summer without rain infiltration.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Yes I leave the light on but it is on a timer. On at 6pm and off at 10 pm. (Because I am on rodent alert)
Also on at 5 am and off at 8am.(making longer day hours)
I have read longer hours of light aid egg production so I have the lights wake em up early.
All that clucking noise sounds like $$ falling out of their bottoms! Wake up! Time to make the doughnuts!