Light in Coop

[happima]

My ladies are 5 and 1/2 weeks old and almost ready to move outside in their coop. They've been spending the days in their coop and run, but I bring them back into the house at night to sleep. Plan is to transfer them to the coop sometime in the next week. One is completely feathered out and the others are pretty much there, save for their head and necks.

I wanted to know how I can safely put a red light in their coop - to keep them warm at night. I'm a little worried about it falling and being a fire hazard. Does anyone have any guidance here?

Thanks so much!

 

[chickendales]

whire it to the ceiling well

 

[happima]

Also curious to hear if I really need a light. I let them stay out until 8pm to get used to the dark and chilly air (around 55F here in California at night). They don't go to the coop but huddle in the corner of the run. The two larger girls cover the small ones to keep her warm. Very sweet. Would they stay there like that all night, or would they make it into the coop and perch on the roosting poles eventually?

 

[Mrs.Hoover]

From my experience-When it turns dark, my chickens arent moving anywhere. I am a new chicken owner, but I am pretty sure they cant see in the dark, I've had to run out in rain storms grabbing chickens that didnt make it in the coop before dark

 

[karlamaria]

Start to put them in the coop by dusk, teach them it's bed time. Mine have always gone back to the coop in the evenings not sure why yours do not, so I say train them before it gets dark.

 

[OvertheHenHouse]

My opinion, FWIW: I don't think you need the light for warmth, especially if you're worried it could be a fire hazard. Your coop should be plenty warm enough overnight, I should think - although not for them now since they're not feathered out. Once they're feathered out and can stay in the coop 24/7, lock them in for a period of a few days to a couple of weeks. You're training them to know where 'home' is (learned this on BYC). Then, when they've been in there for a while, let them in the run. Dusk comes, they know where home is, they come in. I think they may be a bit confused about where they're supposed to go right now, so they're not going anywhere.
Again, just my two cents. Mine were recently transitioned to the coop and they still huddle in the corner at dusk. They had the heat lamp on 24/7 and were used to light all the time. I think ... could be wrong, but based on my observations of my small flock ... that they're huddling because they're afraid of the dark. Your larger ones may be assuming a protective stance, rather than a 'keep warm' one. And Mrs. Hoover is right - they can't see in the dark. Good luck!

 

[ChickenLove123]

I had a caribeener (sp?) attached to the chain that held the heat light when I moved my peeps out to the coop from the house last spring. I kept the light out there for a while... and as long as the chickens needed the heat, they had it. But I also put some roosts up in the coop. As soon as they took to the roosts and weren't using the heat light, I took the light out.

 

[TN_BIRD]

Use a chain or some string.

 

[chickendales]

i put at least light in the coop the chick run to the light when it get dark

 

[happima]

Quote:
Here's the thing...I can't actually lock them in the coop. The coop and the run are an integrated unit and they can walk up and down the ladder into the run on their own. (maybe I'm misunderstanding what a run is....) In the actual coop there are roosting poles and nesting boxes. I was thinking if I put a light in there it would attract them to go up. They do nap there sometimes during the day. But at dusk, they huddle in the corner of their run under the coop. Here's a picture:

Last night I left the light off in their brooder to see if I could start getting them used to the dark. They seemed to huddle on the floor of the brooder instead of sleeping on the perch, where they usually do.

I think I'll try to make the light work. They seem to like it. And will I need one later in order to get them to lay eggs in the shorter day season?