[kellym]

hello everyone still getting used to this keeping hens malarky  with the clocks going forward in a couple of weeks i was wondering about the amount of hours they need. do i need to put them to bed early or try and keep thier coop dark to wake them up later?? this is my first year keeping them so lots of questions as new things come round 

[Casey76]

Hens sleep when it's dark, and wake when it gets light.

I like my sleep, though, so I don't let them out before 6:30 during the week even in the middle of summer... and on a weekend, they stay indoors til about 8am.  they haven't complained yet!

[kellym]

thanks for that casey. in the week they are let out between 5-7 then at the weekends i get up around half 7 to let them out and they are always pecking at thier window in the coop which made me wonder if they have been awake since first light and making noise.  no one has said they are noisy so will just see how it goes.

[alancane]

Hi Kelly,
When they are in the coop itself, is it completely dark or are there windows that let the light through? If they are in total darkness then might be able to keep them in til the same time as you open them for winter. If it is light in there, then they will start complaining to you! 

[8doubles]

Hens do not sleep solidly all night as (some) humans do, they will stand up , have a preen then go to sleep gradually sagging back on to the perch sleep for half an hour then repeat the process.
They quite often sleep with half an eye open as well.
Most birds with crops will also fill up with food and find a cosy spot to snooze and digest it during the day.
The hens would like to get get out at first light if the weather is fine but i think 7-30am is early enough to risk waking the neighbours.

[Lindeggs]

I have printed out a sun set/sun rise chart for where I live, and have been comparing it to the chickens' natural roosting time.  So far they have gone to bed and woken up within 5 minutes of the "official" time.  I think I have clockwork chickens!

My coop has windows so they are definitley tuned in with the daylight rather than my schedule.

Mine do seem to have lots of daytime naps, especially in the afternoon.  They find a nice quiet, shady spot and sit around dozing or preening until one of them gets up and walks over the top of her sisters 

[ManicMum]

Our girls are let out when we get up: around 7:30 in the week & when it suits at weekends - dressing gown run when we make the 1st cup of tea.  Have yet to see how this works as the days get longer, but I think they will have to fit with my schedule, rather than the other way round!

I have noticed that they're staying up later which is great, as we have time to socialise after school & work before they put themselves to bed.

[outercircle]

We installed one of the light sensitive automatic doors on the coop that lets them out into their secure run. This means we don't get woken up too early in the summer (and neither do the neighbours) and they are shut up and warm in winter when we don't get back from work until after dark. They seem to be quite happy with the arrangement and make up for shorter night's sleep in the summer with regular siestas - I only wish my life was so flexible and in tune with the seasons!

[Kate and her Ducks]

My Mum asked me a couple of years ago if my ducks would get confused with the clocks going back and if they changed their laying time accordingly! For a very intelligent woman she had to be reminded that time and clocks are a completely human concept and birds will do their own thing regardless!

[evie2]

Our chickens are up and out by 6-6.30 weekdays and 7.30-8 at weekends when I wish they would sleep longer

We thought about an automatic pop hole but they just prowl back and forward in the small run making an almighty din until we let them free range then it's a race to the back door and the head through the cat flap to see who's in the kitchen

It has to be said the poots are much better behaved