going to bed early?

[vsmenagerie]

Its currently 7:11 pm where I live, and I went down to give the chickens some treats at like 6:30 and they were all roosting already!? Its not even dark out, though yes, the sun is going down..I have a timer in there to have the light come on at 4 am, as I do want eggs this winter..

Just wondering if I should try to prevent them from going to bed now? Seems really early! I leave the coop open so they can go lay or whatever. When I first got them, they werent going in there until around 8 pm and they have been here almost one month.

 

[CrestedGirl]

My chickens do the same thing, i think it is instinct. They go in early i guess to be safe before the sun starts setting.

 

[NovaAman]

LOL, I know! I remember going out at 9:30 to close the doors! Now they are up by 7, 7:15. So depressing... I can't wait till spring when the days get longer. I am thinking I might do a timer thing, but not have it come on till 6 am or so, I don't mind not getting so many eggs, as we only eat about 12 a week... SO, no biggy. But come spring, I'd like to be able to sell them along with some produce...

 

[navasima]

Mine went from 7:30 - 7:45 to 6:45 during the last week.

Curious to me...the flocks seem to aiming for "around" 7 in each time zone.......neat!

 

[SIMPleChick]

Mine were 8:30 then to 8 and now 7:30 but it's getting earlier...I only got 6 eggs today out of 9 hens...I am wondering if the shorter days is already getting to them or if it has anything to do with a broody hen in their favorite nest....LOL! We are going to put LED outdoor christmas lights in the coop this year. Ones that don't get hot so we don't have to worry about a fire.

 

[Cattitude]

Good idea!

 

[pinkwindsong]

mine start heading in around 7pm and by 7:30 I can close the doors ..

 

[vsmenagerie]

Well, I guess its the norm then! That is really interesting that by 7-7:30, all over, chickens are heading to bed haha It just seems so light out to me still but they were adamant tonight about bedtime.

 

[jtbrown]

Ours to bed early, but we are on a ridge with a larger ridge just west of us, so it is dark earlier here than other places. Tonight at 7 there wasn't a sole in either run! Crazy . . . I do not like the shorter days except our kids are still too young to remember to look at clock and they are going to bed early too!

 

[Life is Good!]

Well, either the gray, wet weather this week is throwing my chickens off schedule or they're 'early birds'!

Ours were settled in their roosts by 6:45pm tonight. I mean settled. Not moving, no siree. Nothing I could offer them was enticing enough to get them down to the super scary floor! So, they'll find their grapes as a breakfast treat then!

Boo! Winter's a-comin'!