Light in the Coop at Night??

[cluckychick]

I have a light that comes on in the coop at night from 8:30PM to 6:30AM. My chicks are 8-15wks old. They have a large run they are in during the day because I can't free range them

They won't go in their coop unless a light is on. Should I just put like a night light in there to guide them or leave the light on. Right now I'm using a 26watt energy saver that lights up like a floodlight, lol.

 

[ginbart]

Boy I hope someone answers you. I need to put the light on in my barn (coop) or they won't go in. I have to go out and tell them to get in they go in one at a time. It's funny to watch. But I would like to turn the light off. Hope you get an answer.

 

[catfish]

The weather in arkasnas has warmed nicely and the older chicks are really close to 7 weeks old and shouldn't need a light BUT they won't go into a dark coop. Go figure. We replaced the heat light with a CFL (save on power) and they're fine, but if it gets left off they won't go in, my broody hen was outside the pen the other night after the light wasn't on.
She never leaves the pen. Its open and only 4' high.

I think my chickens are scared of the dark.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

We have electrical in our coop and a plug outlet so I think I will put a night lite in there as well. We have an Daylight light bulb in our coop so the hens will lay all winter. I will find out this winter if it works

 

[cluckychick]

I guess i'll just leave the light on for them

Thanks for your replies

 

[Dawn419]

When we first moved our gang outside (last summer at 8 weeks old) I made sure they had a night light in the coop. In a way, it was more for my peace of mind than for the chickens, plus it made it easier for me to check in on them at all hours of the night.

Now that they are older, I don't use the light and they sleep in the coop when they feel like it, mainly during wet, stormy weather. I don't free range either and feel that their runs and coops are as secure as we can get them (they just turned a year old and no loss to predators). Our main run has an outdoor roosts that they prefer to sleep on, even when the temps are down-right frigid.


Dawn

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I have a nightlight bulb in the coop. It only has a tiny window that doesn't let in the moonlight so without it the coop is pitch black.

Chickens can't see in the dark so that is why the seem afraid of the dark. A lot of people put their lights on timers to go off a little while after dark settles in. That way they can be outdoors for the light and then move indoors and onto their roosts before the light goes out.

 

[cluckychick]

Ahh...so maybe having the light go off sooner is the answer, rather than 6:30 in the morning. Nvr thought of that.

The other night, before we got the timer, we went to my sons graduation and got home after 9PM and all the chickens where huddled in front of the coop door, none went in. That's what made me get a timer.


Thanks for the advice.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

I guess it's different for different flocks. Personally for my flock, a light was to stimulating to them to get any sleep. They would stay up partying all night long. They would hop on the roost, hop down, drink & eat etc. Chicken Party all night!

I always felt that lights on all night could burn out their reproductive system. I usually have a light on for just a little while, so they can come into the coop and have a little bed time snack before roosting for the night.

Now it's such a habbit that they will march on into the coop as soon as it is dark and will immediately go to roost for the night if I' don't provide a little light.

 

[JSC]

We leave a 25 watt light on in the coop at night or ours won't go into the coop at dark. If we go out to the coop really quiet and peak in the window,they are all roosting and have their eyes closed. So for us,it doesn't seem to mess them up to leave the light on all night.


JSC's Hubby