Solar light and coop

[Tane Z]

I don't know if this is the right place to ask this but I'm starting here.

Tonight will be my one month old chicks first night outside. I'm not worried about the temperature because I live in west Texas and it's rarely too cold and they are feathered for the most part and seem to prefer outside. My concern is will the two solar lights that I have placed create too much light and they will think that even though everywhere else is dark that they won't go in their coop cause of the two lights. I know I am babying my chicks a little too much but I worry. I've never had chickens before and I'd like to make sure they remain alive for as long as I can and act like chickens. So far they are showing all signs of being ready to be outside all the time. Do you think that having the two solar lights by the run where the coop is above will affect them going in the coop at night?

My reason for the lights is so I can see from my porch to make sure they go in their coop like they are supposed to.

 

[gretchen22]

Hi Tane Z
I completely understand your worry! I don't think this would effect them at all? Are they going to bed when it gets dark outside? I kept a spot light on my coop just so I could see them throughout the night and make sure predators were not around. My girls, when it's almost dark outside, put themselves to bed every night.

 

[Tane Z]

Hi Tane Z
I completely understand your worry! I don't think this would effect them at all? Are they going to bed when it gets dark outside? I kept a spot light on my coop just so I could see them throughout the night and make sure predators were not around. My girls, when it's almost dark outside, put themselves to bed every night.

This will be their first night outside so I don't really know. I do know that they have a roosting bar in their cage for inside and sleep on it. So, I'm hoping they will. I know I'll be up til after dark to make sure but they are in a safe run and coop area. It's all covered by half inch hardware cloth.

 

[gretchen22]

Ah I gotcha. I think the lights are just fine. The first night I checked on my coop throughout the night. Right now my girls pack it in around 7 ish central time and then I go out and close everything up.

 

[Tane Z]

Ah I gotcha. I think the lights are just fine. The first night I checked on my coop throughout the night. Right now my girls pack it in around 7 ish central time and then I go out and close everything up.

Where are you located? I'm in central time too. I think my husband knows that I'm going to be up off and on all night.

 

[Tane Z]

Ah I gotcha. I think the lights are just fine. The first night I checked on my coop throughout the night. Right now my girls pack it in around 7 ish central time and then I go out and close everything up.

Although I don't have a door on my coop

 

[gretchen22]

I have a raccoon that lives under my shed so I've pad locked my coop and put weights on as well. My 4 brown hens are about 22 weeks and have grown out of their coop but I have a new one coming Monday.

 

[Tane Z]

I have a raccoon that lives under my shed so I've pad locked my coop and put weights on as well. My 4 brown hens are about 22 weeks and have grown out of their coop but I have a new one coming Monday.

My run and coop are pretty secure and I think predator proof. I stayed up tonight to see if they'd go in the coop on their own and they didn't. I lured them in with bread and they were freaking out. I had to open the side door to the coop and comfort them. They have two roosts in there and three stayed on one and I placed them all on one or three on each. I'm sure it being new at dark scared them which is why I comforted them. I felt like I was comforting six soft baby's as they are a month old today and feathered. They've gone in the coop during the day and then back out. I think the dark scared them which I get. I am still sitting next to the coop and they are all quiet. Three are huddled on the roost and the other three were huddled in the opposite corner last time I looked. Well the three not in the roost are somewhat spread out. I'm sure they'll get used to it as it is their first night out. I feel like I should be sleeping out here in a hammock next to them. That's so sad.

 

[christwodog]

Did you use a red light in their brooder box? If so, you could place that in/near the coop as a "nite-lite". That's what I did for the first week or so, they were used to the red light and I believe it helped them settle in to their new place. They also didn't want to sleep on their roost bar at first, they preferred a box for a couple weeks. Their brooder box was a large heavy duty cardboard box, so I think they felt more at home in a box near the roost bar. Then one night, they decided the roost bar was the place to be.

 

[Tane Z]

Did you use a red light in their brooder box? If so, you could place that in/near the coop as a "nite-lite". That's what I did for the first week or so, they were used to the red light and I believe it helped them settle in to their new place. They also didn't want to sleep on their roost bar at first, they preferred a box for a couple weeks. Their brooder box was a large heavy duty cardboard box, so I think they felt more at home in a box near the roost bar. Then one night, they decided the roost bar was the place to be.

I used a white heat lamp in their brooder box but they haven't had that the last three nights they spent in the house to prepare them for outside. They roosted those nights in their cage with no light just fine. I do have two solar lights next to the run/coop area so they have a little light and it's my peace of mind knowing I can see them. I knew what I was up for so I am sleeping on the couch so I can keep an eye not them out there. They are secure.