by Bill Graves
Have you ever noticed how calm your hens act when you enter their coop after hours? Breeds that might even be considered flighty or skittish during the daytime are easy to approach once the sun goes down. Your birds will still react startled when touched, but approaching a roosting flock is like an encounter with the walking dead. Even if they’re awake with eyes open, they seem unwilling to move. The reason for their strange docile behavior is not sudden lack of fear. The reason is scientific. The fact is: Your flock is night blind — maybe not quite 100% blind on the roost but darn close.