My chickens are funny

[mjdtexan]

My chickens will not go into their coop at night ifin they dont have some sort of light in there. I turn off the heat lamp when I let them out in the morning and 2 or 3 times I have forgotten to turn it back on right before dark. When I go out at 6:45 pm to shut their pop door they are always inside unless the light is off. If it is off all 20 of them are on the gang plank as close to the door as possible. I do use a red heat lamp. Is that funny or normal? I guess they are scared of the dark.

Is it safe for them to have a red lamp on all night all the time?

Mike D

 

[warren]

Mine are nervous about going to bed too. They crane their necks to check if there is anyone in there before they go in. Once the top hen has gone in the rest feel safe enough to follow. This is one of the disadvantages of being the top hen. You get eaten first if there is a fox in there!

 

[mjdtexan]

I have not figured out which hen is the top hen yet.

Mike D