Light suggestions?

[Huskeriowa]

Hi all,

I have an issue that didn't predict when building the coop. I have an automatic door that opens at a specific time in the morning and closes at dusk. The way my coop is configured, there is a landing at the chicken door on the interior of the coop that is a few feet away from the roost. The 12 week old chickens huddle together on the landing sticking their noses out of the door watching the sky go completely dark. Each night one or more of the chickens will then be shut out of the coop. Also, because they cant see the roost anymore once it is dark they tend to want to spend the entire night on this small landing.

I have googled light and battery and timer etc trying to find a small light that will shine on the roost so that they can find it but have been unsuccessful in finding a product that works for my setup. I don't even know it needs to be a light as much as something that just glows and shows some light for the birds. Do I just forget the issue and assume they will figure it out as they get larger or smarter or do I keep looking for a product that will shine a light on the issue? If I need a light I would like something that will turn on and turn on and off at a set time. Because there is no electricity it needs to be powered by solar or battery. I am open to ALL suggestions of a light if anyone has one.

If it makes any difference, each night I go out and lift one bird up on the roost and shine a flashlight on it. When the others see the one on the roost they will all go over and jump up as well. I would just like to eliminate my having to go out each night to do this.

Thanks much for any ideas!

 

[Backwoods Bntms]

Just wondering what powers your automatic door?

 

[Huskeriowa]

Just a couple of D size batteries. I wish I could run a light off of it but I cant.

 

[CupOJoe42]

Maybe you can find a solar powered kids night light. We have the ones that plug in, but since you don't have electricity...

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If your door is on a timer and not a photo cell some have it close to let the chickens know it's time to "get it together" and go to bed then the door opens again allowing the stragglers in and closes for the night. Still some daylight left so they see to settle in, close for a minute, opened for another five minutes then close for night. But that's if your auto door is on a timer...

 

[patandchickens]

Two suggestions.

One, bigger windows in the coop so that it is not so much darker indoors than out. (Also make sure there are no air quality issues in there that're making chickens WANT to stay outdoors, such as too-hot or too-ammonia-y)

And/or, two, get a really really cheap solar path light and install it so that the solar panel is on the outside of the coop (facing S or W) and the lightbulb part is inside the coop. It will only give *dim* light and only for a few hours, but that happens to be precisely what you need

If you find you've accidentally bought too good a solar path light LOL and it's staying too bright too long, you can tape aluminum foil over part (not all) of the solar panel to reduce the amount of charge it acquires during the day.

Mind, you also may need to do a little manual relocation for a few days or week -- sometimes they just don't REALIZE they should be going up to the roost on their own.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat