What time to put chickens/ducks to bed - general consensus?

[imnukensc]

Although it is closable, the pop door to the secure run is open 24/7. I generally let the chickens out of the run sometime in the afternoon. It may be 1, it may be 3,or it may be 5, but they always get free range time. They put themselves to bed at dusk and I go close the door from the run to outside sometime shortly thereafter.

 

[Howard E]

We have a dusk to dawn light on the driveway and I have found the birds will head inside the coop and be on the roost almost always within 2 minutes of that light coming on. Rarely miss it by even 5 minutes. Sometimes sooner on dark, dreary days, but never later. It seems like they have the same light level sensor as the pole light does. And as for timing, the moment the last one goes in, the door shuts behind them.

Sometimes they all can be tricked into going in sooner, but that is hard to do. One or two will always hang back to thwart you.

And they come out when I get around to it. Usually it is early, but if I'm not around, that may not be until an hour or less before dark, if even that. If they have to stay in all day, so be it. House is setup so it is no real problem for them if they do.

 

[GracieJ]

Thanks everyone for your replies! It’s very interesting to see everyone’s routines and reasonings behind it!

Guess I’ll have to start setting morning alarms! Sunrise-Sunset method sounds best then. Sun rise here is around 6:30am and sunset is just past 8pm! I’ll be on placement next week so will have to be up early for that anyway so might as well start now

@techbsmith The fox attack we had came out of absolutely nowhere and shocked me so much that my garden is now like Fort Knox, I’m talking fences on top of walls, anti climb spikes, the lot. I’d leave the ducks with the door open to the run at night but I don’t want to leave anything to chance.

@happyfrenchman my ducks are pretty good, they’ll walk into their coop to go to bed - they’re young so they’re getting there.

@Soon2BChixMom i agree with the run thing, bit weary about leaving them to free roam at night. Even in the run. Bless, your ducklings will love it when they go outside, bedtimes will be fine I bet

 

[llombardo]

How long can chickens and ducks go without food and water? Mine will be locked in a duck house and in the roosting area of coop. Most of the time the dusk to dawn thing will work fine but on Saturdays in certain seasons I go to work before it gets light out and I don't want them out and about when dark still.

 

[featherhead007]

I don’t lock my girls in, they put themselves in the coop before it gets dark, in my time zone right now before 8pm and they’re out @6 am. But my run is Fort Knox tight, so they are safe, I don’t have to wake up early if I don’t have to go to work.

Awsome! Mine too.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

How long can chickens and ducks go without food and water? Mine will be locked in a duck house and in the roosting area of coop. Most of the time the dusk to dawn thing will work fine but on Saturdays in certain seasons I go to work before it gets light out and I don't want them out and about when dark still.

How long would they be penned up? What are they released to once you let them out?
I let mine out some mornings before it is light out, but they are released to a run.

 

[GracieJ]

How long can chickens and ducks go without food and water? Mine will be locked in a duck house and in the roosting area of coop. Most of the time the dusk to dawn thing will work fine but on Saturdays in certain seasons I go to work before it gets light out and I don't want them out and about when dark still.

As @Soon2BChixMom said, if they have an enclosed run to go into, you could leave them out into that before you go to work, providing the run is very very secure and predator proof. You could then put the food in the run (under somewhere with a roof/shade) for them to nibble on all day. Or you could just put food in the coop if you’re going to be gone a long time and don’t want to leave them out

 

[mike1970]

mine are in at dusk and let out between 7-8 in the morning my run is pretty secure

 

[junebuggena]

How long can chickens and ducks go without food and water? Mine will be locked in a duck house and in the roosting area of coop. Most of the time the dusk to dawn thing will work fine but on Saturdays in certain seasons I go to work before it gets light out and I don't want them out and about when dark still.

Honestly, they can survive 2 to 3 days without any food and water at all. A few extra hours once or twice a week isn't going to kill them. In the summer, my flock goes about 8 hours without food and water overnight. In the winter, they go 15 to 17 hours without food and water overnight, depending on the weather.

 

[bluejeans]

Hi All.

Was just wondering what time does everyone lock up their chickens/ducks for the night (if you don’t have an automatic door) and what time you let them out again?

My mother and I are having this debate right now. My mother wants to lock them up early (8:30pm) whereas I’m more of a 10pm gal. She wants to let them out at 6:30am whereas I feel that’s dangerous, the last fox attack we had Happened at that time. I’d rather let them out at 9:30am ish.

So what does everyone else do/think? I’d like to be the ones they see first in the morning but I have the issue of being asleep lol!!

Any time before 1 hour before sundown is safest. You could do it earlier though. What ever fits your schedule.