First Crow, and addicted to the red light..

[NorthernAZchickens]

First off, I was walking to the coop this morning to let my girls and a few boys out (all ranging from 8 weeks to 12 weeks old) and I thought I heard a sorry crow. Had no idea who it came from.

Then later that day I was in the run and heard it again, just a little better. I looked over and low and behold it turned out to be my white crested black polish....bummer, I was hoping she was a she...

Now the red light. I had the red light on a timer so it would turn on at 8 pm and and go until 8 in the morning. Then I realized...my girls are big enough to go the night without light. So I turned it off and went inside. Shortly later I had stepped out side and heard the chickens crying. So being the nice chicken parent that I am I went to comfort them. (now, they normally all gather around the light and sleep on the floor) When I open the coop the chickens were everywhere...one in the watering dish, couple in nesting boxes, 1 smart enough to roost, and about 5 piled by the door. The bottom 2 where actually stuck between a nesting box and the wall. I had to gather everyone up and show them the roosts.

Is it normal for them to have a hard time weening themselves off of their nightlight?

 

[Autumn Mama]

If you turned off the red light when it was already quite dark, they probably just couldn't see very well to find their way to their roosts. That may have been why they were so vocal!

Chicken eyesight isn't great as night approaches, and you may have just caught them off guard before they were *ready* to be in the dark. Their eyes hadn't had a chance to gradually get used to night falling. It may have more to do with allowing things to darken gradually in their coop, by way of dusk falling on them, for a new internal clock to establish itself for the flock, YKWIM? Then, I imagine they will gradually make their way to roost, while talking in their getting ready to sleep voices, which I find so endearing!

Our 13 weeker roo started to crow this week, kind of a Rrr-rrr-ooo! He's missing the last bit. Too sweet! Every morning around 6:00 am, and then intermittantly through the day. I really like the sound of it, I feel at home hearing it.

 

[Big dreams]

My rooster also decided to crow, (at 15 weeks) I Love it. And I would have to agree about the light thing, they can't see at all in a darkened room my even have trouble in a coop with a window, so I used a light early for awhile and turned it off when everyone was where they should be, then slowly got to the point where they were in before dark and they don't need the light anymore.

chickens.