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Winter coop lighting, what do you use?

post #1 of 47
Thread Starter 

We have not used artificial lighting in the coop before but daughter wants to start hatching much earlier this year.
What type of bulbs or lighting do you use?
Standard or fluorescent bulbs, low if high watt, led Christmas rope lights?

We have 3 winter coop with breeding pens, coops are all about 10x10.
Thanks

I love my Bantam's! 11 Dutch, 13 Ameraucana, 1 faverolle hen &  2 Seramas.

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I love my Bantam's! 11 Dutch, 13 Ameraucana, 1 faverolle hen &  2 Seramas.

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post #2 of 47

We had electricity installed when we built our coop so we use the standard 60 watt bulb and we have a timer that comes on at 5:45 and goes off a few hours later.  We wanted the light not only for the possibility of more eggs but since it is so dark these days I felt they needed some extra light just to have it maybe so we won't have any depressed chickies tongue

Wife, daughter, the sweet sixteen 2BR,2Dels,2SLW,3PR,3EE's,2SS,2BO
Sometimes He calms our storms;Sometimes He desides to ride them with us.
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Wife, daughter, the sweet sixteen 2BR,2Dels,2SLW,3PR,3EE's,2SS,2BO
Sometimes He calms our storms;Sometimes He desides to ride them with us.
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post #3 of 47

I use a compact fluorescent. Less heat, brighter and less painful on the power bill. I'm wondering how an LED bulb would do.

Chickens, I need more chickens.... and ducks too, yeah some ducks too!

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Chickens, I need more chickens.... and ducks too, yeah some ducks too!

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post #4 of 47

We just put in a fluorescent bulb.  A couple of extra hours in the morning and at night.  It seems to be doing the trick.

Getting one blue egg and one green egg and lots of brown eggs nearly everyday!
4 BR pullets, 2 BO pullets, 2 EE pullets, 1 RIR pullet, 1 RIR cockerel, 1 silkie bantam cockerel, 1 OEGB cockerel
3 Shelter/rescue girls - Senior Sheltie, Middle Aged Toy Poodle, One-Eyed Pug - not quite a spring chicken
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Getting one blue egg and one green egg and lots of brown eggs nearly everyday!
4 BR pullets, 2 BO pullets, 2 EE pullets, 1 RIR pullet, 1 RIR cockerel, 1 silkie bantam cockerel, 1 OEGB cockerel
3 Shelter/rescue girls - Senior Sheltie, Middle Aged Toy Poodle, One-Eyed Pug - not quite a spring chicken
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post #5 of 47

I have a 13W energy efficient bulb that doesn't get hot. It's set on a timer to come on at 5:00 am, off at 8:00 am, on at 4:30 pm and off at 7:45 pm.

Get your work finished first and then you can play!

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Get your work finished first and then you can play!

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post #6 of 47

Our small coop came with a fixture and has a 40w regular bulb in it. There is an outlet in there so I ran a hanging mechanic's light over to the larger coop when we built that one. It has a 60w bulb because I didn't have a 40w. The timer comes on shortly after 5 am and goes off around 9. I will adjust after the time change this weekend.

Married to my best friend and forever love on February 14, 2012.....Planning a much larger coop and run for many more hens (plus a roo, woohoo!) and then expanding to quail.  Currently overrun with dogs and children, but there's nothing about my life I'd change (except maybe having less laundry to do).
 

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Married to my best friend and forever love on February 14, 2012.....Planning a much larger coop and run for many more hens (plus a roo, woohoo!) and then expanding to quail.  Currently overrun with dogs and children, but there's nothing about my life I'd change (except maybe having less laundry to do).
 

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post #7 of 47

I was wondering the same thing about lighting.  A chicken lady told me NOT to use those neat-O twisty energy saving light bulbs (florescence? not sure.) and that it was bad for my birds.  Is that the concensus?  Also:  How bright should it be?  I know with mares you need it to be bright enough to read a newspaper when you're trying to bring them into cycling... but for chickens?

I'm enjoying my evolution into a Chicken Geek.  My hen house is ridiculously lovely but very chicken smart.  We have SL and GL Wyandottes, black and blue Ameraucanas, and a couple odd balls like a Buff Orp and a Speckled Sussex.  I'm a big believer in the mindset that Thoughts Become Things.
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I'm enjoying my evolution into a Chicken Geek.  My hen house is ridiculously lovely but very chicken smart.  We have SL and GL Wyandottes, black and blue Ameraucanas, and a couple odd balls like a Buff Orp and a Speckled Sussex.  I'm a big believer in the mindset that Thoughts Become Things.
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post #8 of 47

I don't have electricity in my coop, and don't want to run extension cords out a hundred feet to the coop. I have a string on solar christmas lights in mine. It automatically comes on at dusk, gives enough light for the girls to see to get to bed, and for me to see that everyone's there when they're locked up for the night. I am going to buy another string that I will leave off in the evening, and turn on in the morning when they are let out.

Seramas, call ducks, mandarin ducks, and geese SCNA member  MO NPIP pt tested flock 

My website http://ittybittybantiebarn.weebly.com/  

FB poultry group, The Roost- https://www.facebook.com/groups/415500468537164/

 

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Seramas, call ducks, mandarin ducks, and geese SCNA member  MO NPIP pt tested flock 

My website http://ittybittybantiebarn.weebly.com/  

FB poultry group, The Roost- https://www.facebook.com/groups/415500468537164/

 

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post #9 of 47

We use a standard 15 watt bulb in all our hen houses, standard bulb because the spectrum is right to help with egg laying and we were taught that you need the Yellows/Reds and not the Blue type (spectrum not bulb color)

Now I am not any type expert, but was taught LED and some types florescent are not the proper spectrum to stimulate laying.

Does anyone know for sure on this?

Don't over-think your chickens, you'll create a problem that wasn't even there in the first place...

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Don't over-think your chickens, you'll create a problem that wasn't even there in the first place...

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post #10 of 47
Quote:
Originally Posted by southerndesert 

We use a standard 15 watt bulb in all our hen houses, standard bulb because the spectrum is right to help with egg laying and we were taught that you need the Yellows/Reds and not the Blue type (spectrum not bulb color)

Now I am not any type expert, but was taught LED and some types florescent are not the proper spectrum to stimulate laying.

Does anyone know for sure on this?


Oooo, this would be interesting to know as well. I have one of those twisty bulbs in my coop and two of my three girls have stopped laying. For the life of me, I can't figure out why. It's very frustrating. If they don't lay in blue spectrum lighting this may be the reason. Although it wouldn't explain why by BA is still laying. Interesting....

Get your work finished first and then you can play!

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Get your work finished first and then you can play!

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