Why the crazy ruckus at sundown? Please help these newbies!

[TN Henny Penny]

We just moved our 7 week pullets into their new coop (would have done it sooner, but the coop wasn't finished

) We were observing them this evening to see how they settled in for the evening. As the sunlight faded - about 30 minutes before actual sundown, the pullets made an awful racket. Several attempted flight toward the windows, but were blocked by the chicken wire. They even tried to cling to the chicken wire for a few seconds, then went hurtling down into the pine shavings, disrupting the hanging waterer on the awkward descent. To calm them down, my dh and I shed our jackets and covered the windows. They then settled down in the corner together and eventually crooned themselves off to sleep in a big heap. What's going on and what can we do to stop the pullets from hurtling up toward the windows? They do not do this during the day at all!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Sounds like they are not used to the total darkness and it spooked them.

Maybe put a dim light in the coop for them? Where were they before?

 

[canada-goose]

At night, the world seems bigger and scarier. They're fine during the day because they're having so much fun, but they start feeling homesick in the evening.

Don't worry, they should get over it within the next few days.

 

[TN Henny Penny]

Quote:
They were in a brooder in the garage. It was pretty dark at night, but some very dim light came in through the garage door windows (from the outdoor lights).

 

[maclady]

I am so glad to read that this is normal. The last two days it has been really beautiful outside so I have taken my 4 4wk old BO pullets outside to the coop and run. last night and tonight as it started to get dark they piled up and started making a ton of racket. I brought them back in to their brooder and they all went to sleep within 5 minutes. I still keep them in their brooder mostly unless it gets above 70 outside and isn't really windy. This website is wonderful cause it lets newbies like me find out everything before we are panicking thinking stuff is going wrong.

Thank you to all you chicken experts who answer the question everyone posts!

 

[old geezer]

thats a big dark scary world out there for something so small ,

...

..

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
They were in a brooder in the garage. It was pretty dark at night, but some very dim light came in through the garage door windows (from the outdoor lights).

then I would give them some dim lighting to calm them while they make transition from brooder to coop

Sounds like they just got a bit spooked...out of their little brooder comfort zone. Poor chickies

 

[maizey]

They are creatures of habit. I bet they thought " ok, bed time, back to where we always sleep...oh crap, how do we get there? Oh nooooo...we are all gonna dieeeeeeee! aggggghhhh!!!!!". They will get the hang of it.

 

[ranchhand]

Sounds like several people have addressed the adjustment issue, it's a big scary world for the little ones! They will adjust in a few days.

I did, however, notice you said the windows were blocked by chicken wire? Please change that to something sturdier asap. Chicken wire will not stop any predators at all. I recommend hardware cloth at a minimum, and it needs to be very sturdily attached.

 

[TN Henny Penny]

Quote:
Thank you. We do have hardware cloth on the windows themselves, secured by 'sandwiching' the wire between trim boards with screws. We're trying to think 'weasel proof'! The chicken wire separates the chickens from an area where we store feed, extra litter, etc.. I feel terrible that they are scared and wish we could help them transition a bit easier. With the feedback thus far, we're discussing going out before sunset to cover the windows so that they won't hurt themselves flying at the light?