Letting chickens range in the dark...

gwenevere

Hatching
11 Years
Apr 27, 2008
1
0
7
My husband is frequently out of town. When I leave for work it's still dark out. Which means I either have to open the coop for the chickens while it's dark or I have to leave them in the coop all day until I get home. I'm concerned about opening the coop when it's still dark and them getting hurt.
 
Hi and Welcome to BYC!
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Is there anyway that you could build a secure run for them to spend the day in? It would be much safer than letting them free range during the day, when no one is home.

Hope this is some help!


Dawn
 
They shouldn't start to range untill they have enough light to see by. They will probably just sit in thier roosts untill it starts to get light.
 
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I really don't like leaving them in the tree the entire night. I'm not sure that's the safest place. But they absolutely won't free range in the dark. They can't see and will jump up a tree. At which point they shut down for their own protection.
If I let my chickens free range. I have to "guide" them back into the coop before dusk. By then they are flying up into the tree. That rattles me so much. I usually end up climbing said tree to get them down. (I'm 43
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and not a spring chicken anymore).
 
I don't know about trees and such as my hens have a wing clipped but they all go in the coop at dusk. I leave their little door open at all times and they come and go as they please. They usually don't ever come out of the house until the sun is full up. But then, I have two of the best chicken protectors in the world and my entire 2 acres is fenced, so I don't have as much to worry about as most. I've never seen them come out of the coop before sun up, though. Hope this helps!
 

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