What in the world are they doing up????? *Small rant*

[baltimoreharps]

I've been keeping an eye on my chickens tonight because I think someone was messing with them last night, (2 legged) that shut the coop door when there food and water was outside and I'm missing eggs today. I have my window open, hear a noise and look out to see 3 of my hens pecking around in the run!!

What in the world are they doing up at 10 till midnight?????

I guess I have our "new" neighbors to thank for putting up a streetlight less than 20 feet from the coop so they can see at night to get less than 10 steps from the car to the porch, now it's keeping the chickens awake!

Sigh, going to herd them back to bed, which is going to wake everyone up the minute I open the back door, but they can't be out all night in the run! The tarp's going to have to back onto the tractor, maybe that will cut out a little of that bright light. ARGH!!!

Has this happened to anyone else?? Can I call the power company to re adjust the light so that it's mainly on thier yard and not mine? I hated that stupid thing getting put up when it's very inexpensive to just put solar lamps along the walkway and it isn't so un naturally bright.....we're out in the country for pete's sake, not in a suburb!!!

GRRR!!! Thanks for letting me rant!

 

[rufus]

I live along a freeway, and we have those sodium lights and some advertising billboards shining lights on the whole neighborhood. The chickens get used to it.

Rufus

 

[Tala]

I live near a softball park. Training season is just getting started.

The chickens get used to it, but I have noticed increased nighttime crowing since I've started noticing the stadium lights on till after midnight.

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

I live in the sticks and have no visible neighbors. My birds go to bed at like 5pm(its still light out too!!). Maybe I should get them a streetlight!!

 

[Tala]

Quote:
No it's normal. They like to go to their roost before dark and do a grooming routine. In the summer they'll stay up till 8pm or later if the sun is still out.

 

[baltimoreharps]

Quote:
See, this is what my birds do. They go up about 6- 6:30 before that stupid light comes on and they are all up before it gets completley dark outside. They have continued to do that even after the streetlight got installed, but we moved thier coop and run a week ago. I've noticed increased crowing and then this entire thing yesterday with the coop door being shut and thier water and food out side and eggs missing....I don't know.
And now, here goes the roo at 2:30 am.
I guess he thinks it's morning.

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

well I'm sure THAT makes the neighbors happy(your rooster is getting his payback!)!! and also attracting the mysterious 'egg stealer'(?) maybe!!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Some years ago I put a buglight in my henyard to draw treats for them. A few months after I'd put it out there I noticed on a particularly bright full-moon evening that they were all out there eating their insect treats hot off the grill. I have no idea how late they stayed up doing that. The darker nights they seemed content to wait until morning.

.....Alan.

 

[fordmommy]

Could you put up a curtain on the widow to close every night?

 

[baltimoreharps]

Quote:
We have a tractor that is enclosed with 3' encased wire, plus hardcloth along the chicken wire, plus deer netting to keep the chickens in. We don't worry about what comes in, it's the light that comes in, so I put up a tarp that will help them sleep.
I'm just worried about my chooks being viewed as an all night buffet when they're out. That and egg production.

So far, so good! Only one crowing competition tonight and no hens out after 1 am, whoohoo! I think I might be able to sleep!

I am going to bed!!!!