Funny - different chickens, different bedtimes? LOL!

[caralouise1974]

I'm a bit bemused and amused by my two hens.

The BO has always gone to bed much earlier than the hybrid, who continues to strut around and pick at the food and water well into dusk. Bless our lovely gentle BO, she simply gives up at the first sign of sundown and takes herself off to bed.

Is this normal? I don't remember the hens my father kept when I was a child taking themselves off to bed at wildly different times - they all seemed to make a consensus decision about when bedtime should be!

It's 7.40pm here in the UK, and earlier, after some free range time, I put the girls into their run at 7pm. The BO had a quick drink, then headed for bed, whilst the hybrid is still popping in and out, desperate not to miss anything. It's very funny that they have such quirky little habits.

Has anyone else noticed anything similar? Just curious really...

 

[pullet2hen]

I have 3 out of 18 that go to bed a good hour before everyone else.

 

[jenjscott]

My OEGBantams are always on the roost at least 30 min before my sebrights

 

[CANDLE98]

That is too funny!!

 

[a2ms4chickens]

I have 2 roosters with 12 hens.

The bantam RIR rooster seems to have the night shift. He rounds up all of the hens when it is time to go to bed. He will not get on the roost until every girl is in her place, whether they are ready for bed or not.

My standard RIR roo goes to bed earlier than all of the other chickens. But then again, he is the first one up and crowing in the mornings. He has the day shift.

Their behavior is quite interesting and funny to watch.

 

[naturemom]

Mine go to bed at different times. The SLW is always first, then the 2 mutts, then the Appenzeller Spitzhauben. In our case it goes by age: first the oldest, then the 2 middle ones, then the youngest.

 

[caralouise1974]

This is all really enlightening - thanks! I had thought our BO was a bit weird, going off to bed while it is still light. She was very poorly a while back, and was always keen to slope off to bed, but I thought she would stay up later now she's fit and healthy again.

Chickens are just like little people with feathers aren't they? They just have so many nuances and little character traits that make every one of them so special!