Does anyone leave their chickens out all night?

[joebryant]

Mine free range from about noon to 6-7 P.M.; then I put them in their run and close the gate an hour or two before it's supposed to get dark. Just before dark, they all go into the coop and get on the roost; after they're on the roost, I go out and close up the pop doors. I suppose anything's possible, but it isn't likely that a predator will ever get into my run to kill a chickens.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=9574

The only reason that I go out at night to close the pop door is because we don't let them out of the coop until about 10 A.M.; that way the rooster does not wake up any neighbors. They're so used to it that they stay up on the roost until 10 A.M., and meanwhile the rooster pretty much keeps quiet. He sure makes a ruckus to be let out of the run though.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I have chickens and Guineas. They ALL go into the barn at night and roost in the rafters and inside the wire mesh stalls I have in there.

I keep a low wattage light on during the night and a radio going all the time.

If some one falls they have enough light to get back on their roosts.

They are all in by sundown. I go in and gather the silkies and shut the stalls doors. I put up the feeders and gather the eggs.

In the morning I open the barn door, open the stalls, put the feeders down, replenish the waterers and throw scratch on the barn floor.

They like their "routine" and seem pretty happy with it all.

 

[Sissy]

I never leave my flock out all night. in they go at sundown and out they march at about 10a.m.
Ihave late sleepers
I kid you not. the roo always has been a gem of a guy not to wake us too early.go-figure LOL

 

[lilly]

MY free range hens and guineas all stay out all the time they have sheds to go into at night , they choose where to go for the night. The guineas never go in, they even stay in the trees through the winter. If I close the hens in they stop laying and fuss the whole time. I have lost a few but they were in a close shelter at the time. We live in the middle of the woods with alot of predetors but really do not have a problem. What is funny is that the chickens always choose to sleep with cats the cats have never bothered them as a matter of fact I have to make the hens leave the kittens alone. More than once I have kittens laying over newly laid eggs. I guess I have guard cats. They even eat together and the hens are the boss.