sleeping?

[carol-ann]

i am in scotland. in the middle of winter it gets dark around 4pm and doesnt get light until around 8am.

do the chickens go to bed at 4pm and sleep all the way through till it gets light?

 

[sumi]

That's a very interesting question! I've noticed my chickens don't spend the whole night sleeping, but that could be because there always seem to be one falling off a perch or my roo decides 03:00 in in the morning is a great time to start crowing LOL

 

[Mrs. K]

@ Golden Feather - how do you know????

At original poster - as soon as it gets dark, they will be roosting. The important thing is to send them to the roost with a full crop, and the colder it is, the more feed that they will need. Scratch is high energy and a flockblock with sunflower seeds, scratch, and suet is also a good choice for the coldest part of the winter.

I don't think mine ever get up in the night, but then I don't sleep there, so I guess I wouldn't know?

MrsK

 

[sumi]

Coop's very close to our house and I listen for any disturbances at night (like visitors).

 

[devora]

I think mine get up in the middle of the night and misplace my car keys and my sunglasses. They also steal one sock.

It is a good Q: As the days get shorter are the birds OK w/ sleeping that much longer (w/ a full crop, as so well said!) or do they say, "Screw it, I know it's dark but I'm getting up anyway!"?

Do birds in Norway sleep all winter?

 

[CAjerseychick]

I guess I will find out.... the coop is built underneath the ramp to our back door ...it winds around the side of the house and is directly underneath my bedroom window... so far I hear occasional chicken noises but they dont sound really awake and that is all the way up to 7am...But they dont go in til almost 8pm around here...The longer nights of winter should be interesting....
How do you ensure their crop is full? Ours have self feeders so they get to eat when they want to... I have been feeding their mash/ treats/ scraps midday (when I am home, I am out of town 3 days a week and then they just self feed, the DH and child check on them)... I wasnt wanting them to poop in the coop at night(less cleaning)...

 

[sumi]

They poop at night... Lots. You should see what it looks like under my roosts

Hardest part of the coop to clean. If they have access to food 24/7 they will make sure they get enough food in their crops before they go to roost. Chickens are very clever with regards to eating what they need, when they need it. And some are just greedy!

 

[smilingcat]

easier if you have a poop board under the roost. take it out in the morning to the compost pile scrape off the sh!t and put the board back where you found it. It's pretty amazing to see that big pile.