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We have had a poor excuse for Spring this year, with more snow last weekend. It is nearly May, but we live in mountain foothills, in the northern Rockies, so it is not that unusual. Everyone is just tired of the snow, the mud, the cold. At least it gets light earlier, and the long light of evenings lasts until nearly 8. But eventually sundown comes, and there are plenty of things that go bump in the night out there. 
My mom’s secret weapon to scare away night killers: https://amzn.to/2PzYN6i
The Night Life
Now that I’m older, I prefer to stick closer to home when it gets dark; when I was younger, I did go exploring in the dark – there are all sorts of exciting critters out then – and got into a few tangles; read about one of them here: https://cowdogsadvice.com/2021/03/slippery-slopes-skunks-and-a-little-discernment/
Around here, the night reveals skunks, raccoons, bears and wild cats. I hear coyotes sometimes, and I do not like them at all! In winter, seems it’s dark all the time. I help mom feed, because she hates the darkness and we want to get chores done quick. I guess she thinks there is a boogeyman out there, but she is less afraid when I’m there.
Chicken Dinner
Finally, we go into the safety of the house, but most at risk in the darkness is our chickens.
They have a good, safe coop and get locked up every night, but in the morning I go sniffing about, and know there have been visitors looking for a chicken dinner! 
We Beat Back The Darkness
We have some nifty tools to help protect the coop and keep those critters with bad intentions at bay. Lots of people now are going “back to the land” and are in for a surprise at all the evil awaiting their livestock!
Best of all, is a weird little blinky light. Mom says it imitates the eyes of bigger predators, and , depending how high it is hung, can repel everything from ‘coons to coyotes. I notice after a rain, there are ‘coon tracks all over the road and creek bottoms, but NONE by the coop. We are the only ones around here that have been able to keep chickens, because of those lights. They can’t stop daytime killers, like eagles, but still keep the poor birds safe til the sun comes up. Mom’s used a few different kinds, but swears by the Niteguard light: https://amzn.to/2PzYN6i
Niteguard is all about predator repellents and offer several items to protect your flock. These lights are effective against many threats.
One repellent I think is funny is made from the urine of bigger, badder critters. Stands to reason I guess – I pee all around to make sure any visitors know there is a Heeler patrolling the grounds. Apparently the business of critter pee is quite an art, with different kinds used to repel and protect everything from coops to gardens. Who knew? And how do you collect pee from bobcats and coyotes? I am reluctant to add the illusion coyotes are nearby, but still this could help out a bit: https://amzn.to/3e86vhI
I told you how much mom hates the darkness. Well, she got some good lights that really brighten up the night and put one on the coop. It is solar and comes on at sunset, but motion makes it get very bright. This works great when she locks up, or when a skunk moseys through, encouraging it to move along! Here is the one we like: https://amzn.to/3eHfYvs
There is something restorative about the night, even if it can be scary too. We have a fun way to look inside it, by checking out the trail camera. We can watch what animals pass through, although I can sniff them out in the morning and say just who has been visiting, too! Here is the camera we hung up: https://amzn.to/3t6ZsKm
A man named John promises us that “The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it” [John 1:5]. That is encouraging for sure. Someday, I hear, there will be no more night, like the song says. No more night, no more pain, no more tears… listen to it here: https://youtu.be/4iPIi7sunEU
For now, we still have that time after sundown, while we wait for the dawn.
