hens bed time

[warren]

My hens put themselves to bed at 5.30pm but it does not get dark here for another hour. Today I went to shut the door and they came out. I gave them some scratch, but they did not eat much of it and just went back to bed.
They get up at dawn, which is about 6.30 at the moment. It is not very warm here in March - about 0-10F

edited
I mean about 0-10C! We would panic if it were 0F round here.

thanks for your comments folks. I just wondered why they don't keep eating until dark. They never stop moving for the rest of the day.

 

[chickenannie]

do you have a question about this?

 

[bills]

My hens always head inside once it starts getting darker. Although I have a light on in the coop they all head for the roost, and wait for the timer to turn the light off.

I guess your birds sense the dwindling daylight, and decide to get comfortable before its pitch black. It sometimes takes them awhile to get the roosting order sorted out. Some of the birds may want a last minute drink, or a snack before hitting the roost, and they have to push and prod their way to their particular spot on the roost.

 

[d.k]

* Chook is the same-- 5:3O. She starts heading for the front door if I haven't already come out to get her-- and we're not getting dark here til close to 7!!

 

[chickenannie]

My guineas, and newbie hens are always the first in the coop on the roost -- it's usually still very light. Then a long while later, the majority of hens draw closer and closer to their henhouse with the lessening light. Then they all go in. However, I have one dawdler hen who's always last one in (maybe because she's low on the pecking order and the others are mean) just before twilight. All are in by the time the sun sets.

 

[Wolf]

I have a funny bunch. The older hens and roo will always go to bed first. The turks, except for the senior Gobbler, will go in next and get settled. Then the big Gobbler will stand in the shed doorway and HOLLAR! *cause I'm usually in the house and he wants me to close the danged door! ROFL! When I go out there - he's waitng, almost tapping his toes... but then I havta flap my arms and yell "Go To Beeeedddd!!!" to encourage the adolescent chickens to get in there so I can close up shop for the night! For some reason the youngsters wait till the last danged moment - to go to bed!

(Yeah - weird flapping arms and yelling - with neighbors

... but that's what the Boss Roo does to tell the rest to go to bed! The birds are never confused about my behavior!)

 

[Royal Blue]

Warren,
Chickens eat when they are hungry. Mine go to bed when it starts to get dark and get up before the sun comes up in the morning. They eat all the time. I have a monitor in the coop so I can keep tabs on them at night and I hear them eat late at night. It just depends on if they get hungry .

 

[CarriBrown]

Warren-
They must be the early to bed types. I have some that go to bed early and get up early, others that are the last in and the last out.

 

[Redfeathers]

I think it's kind of strange how my blind girl is the first one to head to bed at dusk. How does she know? The others follow at the last possible moment. Right now it's 7:30 and the very last one is still standing on the ramp deciding if she really wants to commit to going in or not. I'll give her a few more minutes then I chase her in so I don't have to go out in the dark and face the boogey man. lol

 

[ibpboo]

My girls usually go to bed about an hour before it gets too dark.