lighting

[svalentine]

What about lighting? Do chickens need light in the coop? Now that it is warm a heat source isn't necessary. Are chickens afraid of the dark? Last night with no light on in the coop they wouldn't go in as it got dark. So they ended up lined up on a "deck area" that runs along the front of the coop. It's a shame to have a coop for them where they'd be safe and they won't go in. I thought chickens were instinctively supposed to go in at dusk. Oh, the little darlings are 2 months old.

 

[teach1rusl]

I did use a light to "train" them to go inside, and eventually the light was needed no longer (although it's still nice having a light available out there). I think that's the easiest way. However, if you go out and put them inside each evening for several nights in a row, they will eventually learn to go inside.

 

[Debob]

I used a light for about 1 week,after that they went in at dusk. I have sense added a window in the western side and they love to watch the sun as it go's down.

 

[svalentine]

Ok. Thanks for the help. Maybe they're just going to need a little more time to get used to going into a dark henhouse. Well, not really dark cuz it has a full side of windows.
I had hoped they'd be going in on their own since we have to be gone overnight soon. It would be easier to leave them if I knew they were going in at night. The other option is to keep them closed in for 2 days. Seems a bit cruel. And might even be way too hot this time of year.

 

[patandchickens]

Pardon the duplication, but I just got done writing this in reply to another thread and it applies here just as well:

"Betcha anything it's too dark up there, at least by the time it gets to be dusk. The top seems to be windowless or at any rate have exceedingly minimal natural lighting; when outdoors light is merely dimming, it will have gotten pitch-dark in there (to the chicken eye, anyhow -- they have TERRIBLE night vision, and deeply dislike going into spaces too dark to see in).

SOlution: add substantial natural lighting, or some sort of 'night light' (you could rejigger one of those cheapie solar driveway lights, so the panel is outside and the light is inside; the battery charge only lasts a few hours but that is exactly what you *want* for this situation)."

Sound like it might apply to your coop too? Probably

Also, you may have to manually put them in there for a few days or a week til they clue in. But if it is too dark in there you won't be able to train them to go in on their own til you fix the too-dark problem.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat