Wake up time for chickens

[MaryKate]

Before I commit to getting a couple of chickens I need to check what time I will need to let them out of their hutch/coop. I know Roosters start crowing at dawn break, but will the chickens be okay in a coop until say 9.00 am? This has all to do with me not being an early riser. I do not want them to become distressed because of my habits!! So I thought it was best to ask first. Any advice would be welcome.

 

[ladybug99]

depends on the size of your coop....mine haven't come our of thier coop for three weeks, due to large amounts of snow,but my coop is plenty big enough so they don't mind being inside at all. I usuallt go down the coop about 7am to let them out....but there have been some days I did not get there till 10am or 11 and they were fine

 

[Laurajean]

In the summer I leave the pop door open so they come out when they want, because their coop is within their closed run. In the winter, I only close the pop door during very low temps, and I don't let them out until mid morning either. They're always anxious to get out and run around, but never seem stressed at all by it. Just more like anxious kids wanting to get out and play. By the way, since you're new, just thought I'd mention in case you don't already know, the "pop door" is the little chicken door on their coop.

I'm rarely out there before 10 am, but then again I close them in only on very cold nights as I said.

I think they'll be fine, unless your coop is extremely small.

Oh, and

 

[FiveHens]

They will get mad about wanting to get out of their coop when it starts to get light out...the hens as well will be raising the roof. I recommend you install an automatic pop door that will open/close on a timer. You can buy these online. We also close the door every night, as much for predators as to keep it warm and dry in there.

BTW, personally I think that this rooster/crowing at dawn thing is a myth. Before we had to give away our rooster, he crowed for most of the morning. Every rooster will crow a different amount; and a very few, not at all.

Good luck!

 

[Lydia&Andrew]

Our chickens get out anywhere between 7.30 & 9.00 am and they very rarely make any racket to come out. Sometimes at the weekend if we get up late it's 9.30am and they are fine.

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

We have chickens next door and the roosters usually start their crowing at 4:30 even in the dark of winter. Hmm...I wonder if mine (who are due to arrive next week) will suppose THEY should be out running around that early. I can manage 6am but not 4:30!

 

[KIDDSBANTAMS]

We have a large coop, so I don't rush out every morning to let them out in the winter. In the summer I do let them out a little earlier because of the heat. Roosters crow whenever they want, in the morning, in the afternoon, just whenever. The daybreak thing iis just an old saying I guess because our roosters and the ones I hear near by crow all the time.

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

My roos like an early start. Some of them take to crowing around 3 in the morning and they are out and about the minute it starts to lighten up.

 

[annie3001]

hello and welcome to byc. i think 9am is fine. thats when i get them to let them out. in the summertime when its very hot out. my dad (who watches our kids while we work) lets them out into their run about 8am. the chickens dont get upset. they are used to routine. as for our rooster, he crows in the am, but isnt bad. he always crows for a reason tho.

every every rooster has different personalities and are different. read as much as you can before buying chickens, just imo. good luck and have fun!

 

[chickfamilyonsleepyhollow]

Chickens like routine so if you let them out at the same time every day (give or take) I think they'll be fine ... our girls are usually starving when I let them out around 7:00 AM so I'd be sure that they have access to food and water in the coop - especially in warm weather