What time to close them up for the night?

[christiethorn1]

My 3 chicks and 4 ducklings had their first night in their run/coop last night. I went out at 8pm to teach them how to go into their coop for the night and they were all ready in bed inside the coop for the night. It was so adorable.

 

[Kernel Cluck]

They are Barred Rocks

Yeah, I read about "draft free" but I don't understand it...since you have to have ventilation in your coop, so doesn't that mean there's gonna be drafts???

I was confused about the difference between draft and ventilation. The difference is ventilation is a passive movement of warm air up and out. So, ventilation should be on the leeward side of the coop. I.E. on the side sheltered from the primary direction of the the winds. Usually the east side of the coop and near the peak of the coop to rid the coop of moisture. Thats the key.. moisture. Draft is if you can feel the wind or air moving like an opening on the west or north side of the coop with the prevailing winds. It isn't always about temperature, its about humidity and temperature. Cold and dry is OK. Cold and damp is a killer.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

I was confused about the difference between draft and ventilation. The difference is ventilation is a passive movement of warm air up and out. So, ventilation should be on the leeward side of the coop. I.E. on the side sheltered from the primary direction of the the winds. Usually the east side of the coop and near the peak of the coop to rid the coop of moisture. Thats the key.. moisture. Draft is if you can feel the wind or air moving like an opening on the west or north side of the coop with the prevailing winds. It isn't always about temperature, its about humidity and temperature. Cold and dry is OK. Cold and damp is a killer.

uh oh...the coop has drafts then! I'll have to fix that!

By the way...they survived the night LOL! I kinda got really scared this morning...with as much noise as they make when they get put in the coop, I figured as soon as they heard my voice in the morning they'd start talking. I heard nothing. Not a peep, not the bedding moving inside...nothing. I opened the run door and tied it and tried to look in but I couldn't see anything and still couldn't hear anything. My heart dropped...I thought OH MY GOSH THEY DIED!!!!

I was about to run to the "human" door and check, and that's when one of the cockerels stuck his head out lol...and looked around like "Dude, I was sleeping! Stop making all that noise!". Then the rest started poking their heads out, and finally one by one they walked down the ramp. I was so relieved!

They went in easier tonight...but the dumb-dumbs think a strip of moulding along the wall above the highest roost is something they can perch on. I laughed so hard as two of them kept trying to jump onto this 1/16 inch thick, 1/4 inch wide strip of white plastic...bounced off the wall...and fell onto the other chicks roosting, then falling to the thick bedding on the floor! Not once, not twice, but 6 times! No wonder my husband keeps stating that chickens are stupid!

 

[Kernel Cluck]

I am continually amazed at what my girls will try to perch on. This winter, I had attached a triangle made of wood to the end of one perch to keep them from roosting and then pooping in the water bowl that was close to the end of the perch. For weeks, I would look in and one of them would be trying to balance on the point of the triangle. Very funny. I think thats my favorite part of having chickens.. the goofy things they do!

 

[grandmachick17]

Is the reason for closing pop down door to keep young chicks (7 weeks) warm or to teach to go inside at night? My girls all go into house on own by 7 pm. Hubby says leave door open. Not sure of what is OK. 50 degrees at night. So far all OK.

 

[debid]

Is the reason for closing pop down door to keep young chicks (7 weeks) warm or to teach to go inside at night?  My girls all go into house on own by 7 pm. Hubby says leave door open. Not sure of what is OK.  50 degrees at night. So far all OK.

I close the pop for my adults because the run is very safe against large predators but a mink/weasel/rat could waltz right in and do serious damage to a sleeping hen. The youngsters have a hardware cloth enclosure so their door stays open once feathered.

 

[khoe]

So...tonight is my second attempt to leave my chicks in the coop all night long (first time was a failure...couldn't take the crying coming from them so I brought them back into the house). I know that they are supposed to return to the coop at dusk...but what kind of dusk are we talking about? When do I shut the coop door with them inside? When the sun has gone down, when it's almost dark, or when it's completely dark outside? Thanks!

I have found it easiest to close it up after the sun goes completely down. This is because mine will go in the coop on their own, but only when it gets dark all the way, they wanna enjoy whatever daylight they an. This means I normally shut them in at 9:30 or so.

 

[SobbaChickens]

My girls spend the day in a dog kennel turned chicken run but go back into their brooder for sleep. It's kind of humorous if I leave them out too long, they get pretty upset and loud. It'll be hard for me to get into the run because they will stand at the door trying to get to me. Last night was the latest they had ever stayed out but it still hasn't completely dark. I let them out of the brooder between 6:30-8am