When we first talked about getting chickens with my kids, they asked about a million questions about their new family members (as kids often do!).
My youngest threw me off when he asked me about chicken bedtime.
I turned to my wife, who’s more of the expert, and she didn’t have a clear answer either.
So I rolled up my sleeves, researched and asked around, and confirmed with our chickens after we got them.
Chickens go to bed shortly after sunset. Not only is their activity tied to the sun, they instinctively know some of their main predators are nocturnal. During long summer days, they’ll often take a nap or two to make up for the later sunset and get in a good amount of hours of sleep.
Read on for more details about chicken sleeping patterns.
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When Do Chickens Go To Roost?
The exact time chickens go to roost for the night depends on the individual bird in question.
Like people, some chickens stay out a bit later than others, while some go to bed early (that’s my wife and me!).
The general rule of sunset as a bedtime holds pretty true, but it’s not always like clockwork.
Roosters tend to stay up a little later and wake up a bit earlier, but this makes sense as their instincts tell them to guard their flock.
Some breeds also require less sleep, and age also plays a role.
As with people, baby chickens and older chickens need more sleep than those in the prime of their lives.
Speaking of roosting, many chickens prefer to fly up and sleep. It offers a feeling of safety.
But some won’t. A few breeds in particular, like Silkie and Brahma, prefer low roosts or sleeping on the ground.
How Much Sleep Do Chickens Need?
There is no set time requirement for how much sleep chickens need, but a lack of sleep is likely to cause stress and health issues over time.
In summer, chickens need less sleep. They’ll usually get around 8 hours during the night and take a nap during the day.
If you have enough chickens (at least 3 as we recommend), chickens will watch out for each other while the napper sleeps.
If your chicken is alone, it may not nap and still suffer from sleep deprivation.
Plus, a lonely chicken will get depressed.
You read that right and be sure to click on the link to check out our guide to chicken sadness.
In the winter, chickens will slow down their bodies and be just fine sleeping more often.
This is common with many animals, and chickens are no exception.
They may still take naps during the day, but they’ll spend most of their sleeping time at night.
During this season, we’ll expect closer to 12 hours of sleep or more.
During winter, chickens also slow down or stop laying eggs. It’s important to keep this in mind when deciding how many chickens you get for a dozen eggs per week.
What Time Do Chickens Wake Up?
Chickens tend to waker up with the sun, so anywhere between 4-8 AM, depending on the season.
They react to the light before the sun is fully up, so don’t be surprised to see them moving before the sun too.
If your coop has a clear line of sight to the east, they’ll be up earlier than if the coop is blocked by trees.
Chickens will sense the light as it hits the coop and heats it up slightly.
Roosters tend to wake up first and do their iconic crowing, though it’s not as regular as cartoons and media depict it.
When chickens wake up, they’ll need to do two things: lay eggs and eat breakfast.
Chickens will alternate these tasks with each other, and they don’t waste any time. They get to it the second they wake up.
Why Do Chickens Wake Up So Early?
Hens and roosters (in particular) are known for being early risers. Why is this the case?
The short answer is: they like the sun.
The long answer involves safety and instincts.
Chickens don’t do well at night. While they have great eyes with sophisticated rods and retinas for seeing during the day and perceiving many colors, they’re pretty night-blind.
Once the sun has been down long enough for residual light to disappear, they’ll have a hard time getting around.
The predators will also start to come out.
What does this have to do with waking up?
Chickens have an instinct to make as much of their day as possible because they can’t do anything at night.
Hens have a single overarching desire: to create and lay eggs.
This is hard work!
Eggs are almost entirely protein and take 24-26 hours on average from start to lay.
Their whole day is spent scratching, eating, moving, growing, drinking, and laying.
If you’ve ever spent time with chickens, you know they’re active critters and don’t spend a lot of time just chilling.
They use the day to get as much nutrition as possible.
Tips On How To Train Your Chickens To Go Into Their Coop At Night
Chickens don’t usually need to be trained to go to their coop at night. They know it’s not safe to stay out in the cold and open.
But chickens are also trainable to a certain degree, so if you want to train them to go into their coops to a specific call or sound, it’s possible (and fun!).
Check out these general tips for training them to go into their coop at night:
- When moving them to a new coop or first introducing them to the coop, keep them inside for 3-4 days to help them see it as their new home.
- Leave an artificial light on inside the coop for a little while after sunset to help them see the coop.
- If there are a few chickens who try to stay outside, move them back in after dark, and if most of the flock is still out, keep them inside all the time for 3-4 more days.
- Make a consistent call at night time paired with treats you leave inside the coop just after sunset.