Night light for chickens?

[KenK]

Where I want to build my coop/run is almost directly under one of those security lights that the utility companies put up. It's one of those like a street light up on a telephone pole.

Too much light for them to get a good nights sleep?

My wife is already getting agitated just thinking about the crowing, I sure don't want them going off at 2am more than they have to.

 

[gritsar]

If there's a roo and there's a light, there's a good chance there will be some nighttime crowing.

 

[WhySayWhat]

I read, either here somewhere or in Raising Chickens for Dummies, that an actuall nightlight is a good thing to have in the coop if you live in an area with rats. A little light lets the chickens defend themselves from the things that go bump in the night that are smaller than they are anyway.

 

[EssexGirl]

If you have an enclosed coop that you're going to shut them in at night, you can always cover the windows - we have shutters on ours. Mind you, it doesn't stop the rooster crowing at 3am anyway - we had to put in soundproofing as well.

 

[teach1rusl]

Yeah...the plus side is that it should help keep predators away. But I would definitely think about some kind of home-made shutters if your coop will have windows...we built single, hinged storm/hurricane type shutters for our coop windows - to keep rain rain out, not light. But something like that might work well for you because it'd still allow a breeze through in the hot months by lowering it most, but not all of the way down. Insulation helps a lot with crowing volume - or just don't keep a rooster.

 

[Terri O]

My Roos crow any time of the day or night. It doesnt seem to matter to them what time of day it actually is. I guess I have gotten used to it as I dont even hear it during the night unless I really concentrate. Terri O

 

[GarlicEater]

Quote:
I worry about rats. We had a population spike in them until I spread around some of my good cooking - Peanut Butter Poison Surprize. I'd go in the laundry room at night and they'd be scurrying around, I'd talk nicely to them and they'd even kind of stick around - yeah, feel comfortable and try the cuisine, my cuties!

I seem to have them under control for now ... I'm just glad my gals live about 10 ft from my trailer so.... I like to think the rats will think twice.

 

[KenK]

The two things I worry about are rats and snakes. I hate to kill the snake that lives in the barn because I know he eats the rats. At various times I've had a snake eat a dozen eggs and kill a dozen biddies, more or less.

Love the "Rooster" sauce by the way, I've heard Siracchi referred to as the "crack" of condiments and I have to say I agree.