What time do chickens go to bed!!

[apukanski]

I put mine out at 6 weeks old, they automatically went in. I still have stragglers, but, they go in eventually.

 

[onedozenphyllises]

We got our oldest ones as started pullets and kept them locked in for about two weeks. Once we started letting them out, they always put themselves to bed. They start filing in around dusk and are all in by the time it's fully dark. In nice weather we almost always have a few that want to roost outside, on top of the house, and we physically put those girls inside ourselves.

Our little chicken house has an additional roost in the "wire-only" outside run part, and some nights they all like to sleep there, rather than inside. I'm not sure why.

 

[ChooksChick]

I had the same problem until I put a light in my coop- it's on a timer to go on half hour prior to dusk and a half hour after dark.

It also goes on half hour prior to dawn in the winter, when I've switched out the compact fluorescent for an incandescent to warm it up a bit (in addition to the ceramic heating element I use all winter).

This draws them in as the brightest spot in the yard at night, and they prefer to go into a lighter area than an area that's dark (who doesn't?).

You can get an automatic, solar LED porch light for about $50, and I know there are others that are light triggered, but I'm not sure where to find them, if you haven't power to your coop.