Can chickens see infrared CCTV lights?

[rothcoe]

Hi,

Can chickens see infrared CCTV lights?
Can they see them a bit or a lot?
Would it disturb their sleep if I had a small LED CCTV light inside their coop?

I want to put a camera inside the coop so I can observe and see whats happening a bed time etc, but to do this as its dark I need an infrared CCTV light. I don't want to disturb their normal patterns or sleep so wondered if anyone knew?


Thanks

Ian

[Totally Scrambled]

I know chooks have far better colour vision than us and even have light recetors in their brain but I'm not sure whether they can see infra red. The sort that are sold in brooding lamps are visible to us and chooks but the sort that we can't see as they emit pure infra red might still be visible to chooks.
My guess is if you are just using it briefly of an evening it will be no more than a dusk type light level to a chook and so they should still settle down. If you turn it off once they have settled it shouldn't bother them. A bit of trial and error needed.
My brother has a mains powered infra red camera set up in his owl hole in the side of his house and it doesn't seem to bother them.
Hope my ramblings are some help.
Dom

[sandy]

What a fantastic idea It dosent seem to bother any of the birds on autumn/summer/whatever watch.

[rothcoe]

Thanks Dom.

It would probably be on 24/7. Its pretty dark inside the coop during the day as well and for a camera to work it would need the infrared light as well.
I know they use them in nesting boxes for other birds but not sure about chickens as they have receptors in the brain which are linked with egg production etc.

If they can see the light it would be a bit like someone putting a light inside your bedroom and asking to to go to sleep with it on.

I don't want to keep my birds up all night with it!

Ian

[Steve the Gas]

Try it.

[sazchops]

I've got a Bushnell Trophy Camera, that doesn't seem to bother my girls.

[rothcoe]

I will set it all up today and give it a go tonight.

Although I am not sure how to tell if its bothering them.
What time should the be asleep rather than just perching and preening etc?

Lets see what happens.


Ian

[Steve the Gas]

10 mins after dusk should be enough.... ish.

[Benny&Co]

Oooh how interesting Ian, looking forward to seeing your findings.

If I put the light on in the kitchen when it's dark, sometimes our girls get up out of bed and start partying but it doesn't seem to upset them I don't think

[Bristolianbelle]

I have my old baby monitor cctv cam in our coop and the monitor in the livingroom. Its on 24/7 with no problems. My Children say that I should set up a live feed to the internet and have "hen cam". Never know could be better than Big Brother!

[devilbrighteyes]

I would be a regular watcher! It would be fascinating! I would also have one in the run and tune in at lunchtime to see what they are getting up to!