What time do your chickens go to bed? (How dark?)

[bigcats]

Hmmm... I've caught mine out after sunset too. Also, mine don't wake up early. I usually get up around 6 and open the door to their pen, and they're still roosting and don't seem to start moving for another hour or so.

 

[detali]

I heard my chickens into their coop for the night when I feel like it. Sometimes a little earlier than they want to though. I go into the chicken run and slowly walk behind them, gently towards the coop door. The roo scolds me sometimes but he does walk in. Then I close the door. The roo talks to his gals eve.

 

[montcapu]

mine are usually in their coop about dusk, my ducks don't do to bed till later for what ever reason, but the chickens are always sleepin by the time I go and close everything up
weird that yours does not

 

[aank4]

I was suspicious of the timer, so I've made some adjustments, and we'll see if all the girls are in tonight before the automagic door closes.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Right now, everybody is in by 8:30pm.

 

[Horsewell]

everyone is normally in before 8pm, even if its not dark yet

 

[Opa]

I have the automatic door on my coop with an electric eye so that it opens about 30 minutes afters sunrise and closes about 30 minutes after sunset. It's nice because I never have to change the time settings on it. However, I found out the hard way that I still need to check my chickens each night to see that they are all in. Sometimes a hen will place herself in the door and not allow any other in and on one of the coldest nights we had a young BO got locked out. I found her sitting on the ramp the next morning frozen. So now I check them every night.

 

[aank4]

Poor baby. That's exactly the sort of thing I want to avoid. I have thought about using the electronic eye option (I can set it up for my current door opener) but I'm a little control freakish, and want to know exactly what time things are happening.

 

[Opa]

Which is why I always go check them after dark.

 

[pondguy2004]

I have 3 pens that need shut-up at night. The very protective and jelouse, BC Maran rooster puts his girls to bed good and early, sometimes, an hour before the others. The other 2 see how late they can make me stay up. They aren't aggresive at all, either, unlike the Maran, who will flog you all day, if you are near his girls.