what time do your birds roost for the night?

[Katydid2011]

Regardless of the season, my hens all head back to the coop 20-minutes before full dark and I lock them in shortly thereafter. At this time of year they're in the coop by 8:40 and settled on their roosts by 8:50. During the months of early darkness they come inside 20-minutes before dark then mill around inside the coop, take dust baths, eat, etc. until the coop lights begin to dim around 8:30. Their routine stays much the same year round, but they spend a lot more time inside the coop during the colder, darker months.

 

[daver]

Quote:
And if I try to change the routine, they are pointing at their watches and screaming that the driveway light is not on.

Go figure.

Dave

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

My chickens are weird. (I have two.) I have to put them up every night or they wouldn't go in their coop. They would rather hang out in the yard under the bush. Very odd, but... I think they think they're ducks. Since I also have 3 mallards.

 

[MomKat]

Mine go in and are roosting at about 7:15-7:30 as well. There's still plenty of daylight left - I don't understand it. But I suppose it's better than staying out after curfew, and I can lock them in before full dark!

 

[MarinMama]

Quote:
Mine start going in around 7:30 to get the best spit...auto door closes at 8.

 

[Sassafras]

My auto door closes at 8PM and they have been going in about 7:45. If I am out in the yard they feel it is ok to stay out too though and miss the door. Then I have to go turn it on and they file in.

 

[ninabeast]

Right now, girls go in around 8:35-8:40; pop door closes at 8:50. We'll adjust as the days grow shorter.

 

[margowig]

We have 12 that put themselves to bed about a half an hour before sunset. No getting them in earlier. We've tried baiting with fun food inside, but they are smarter than us--they snatch and run back outside!

 

[ChickenAl]

Quote:
And if I try to change the routine, they are pointing at their watches and screaming that the driveway light is not on.

Go figure.

Dave

I am beginning to believe they have trained us all so well. I though I heard one snicker the other night as I gave them their treats...

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Mine don't all go in at once. I have one RIR who's mostly-blind in one eye and she's in first, at about 7:00 pm. By 8:30 pm, usually most of the older girls are in (the ones that are 4-7 years old). The youngsters (not including this year's chicks) like to stay up late. Last night, the very last one only came in at about 9:20 pm. That's about when I lock them in, maybe 5-10 minutes earlier, depending on whether they're all to roost or not. By 9:15, the sun's vanished behind the woods and I think it's almost fully below the horizon, but it's still light enough for me to see to get the other birds in ( 'teenage' chicks and Guinea fowl are all that's left). By the time I finish locking everyone in their safe coops and boxes, it's approaching 10 o'clock.

But they do go to bed earlier as the sun sets sooner, usually consistantly once the sun's out of sight behind the woods as I said earlier. Phew.