Nutrition and gender, and inducing broodiness

Are you both using supplemental light?  At my lattitude, my flock quits in mid Oct. and doesn't start back up until mid Feb.  Add to that any broody issues, molting issues, and the egg hatch to POL time, and productivity takes a big hit.  I wrestled with the light/no light debate.  Didn't give them light the first year, then... decided that I'd rather have the girls earn their keep throughout the year, even if they did burn out sooner.  I think I offset some of the stress of continued laying by giving them fermented feed.  Their feathers are always beautiful, except for the ones showing rooster wear.  A lot of people give them 14 hours/day year round.  One fellow turns his lights off for first 2 weeks of Sept. for a forced molt.  All his gals get the molt over before real cold weather hits, then they're back into full production.  I'm too lazy to do that, so start my light when I notice production going down... which is about NOW!  I also give them their light at night, not in the morning.


Scott, I just read your info at the bottom of your post re:  chicks, more chicks...  Made me grin!  I started my first flock at the age of 12, with my dad as my mentor.  

I don't think that I will add light, but if I did, would I put lights in the coop and the run where the feeders are located. It seems like it would be alot of hassle having to have 2 areas lit, then I would have to turn off the light in the run first leaving the one on in the coop so they could see to go to bed. Then once they were settled turn that one off too.
 
I only have a light in the coop. It's a CFL 7 watt on a timer. I have it set to come on before dusk, and go off when ever the time matches up with sunrise to give them their 14 hours. As the season progresses, and we have a lot of overcast weather, I may have it come on at 5:30 - 8:00 AM, and again before dusk to total 14 hours. So, it needs to be tweaked a bit every month. I don't think I'd give them a light in the run, b/c they may stay out and play until the light goes out, then they'd be stuck out in the dark. "They say" that the light should be provided only in the morning so that they would have a natural dusk and bedtime, but that would have the flock getting up at 2:30 AM to get their 14 hours. Rooster crowing at 2:30... NO THANKS! Not to mention that they'd be clammoring for their food at that hour. "They say" that if you give the extra light at night, the chickens will be stuck down on the floor, doing chicken things when lights suddenly go out, and they won't get to the perches. "I say" that my girls are always on the perch when the light goes out. They seem to be able to figure it out.

BTW, if you do decide to give them light, it's important to increase it gradually, and not stop it suddenly.
 
I only have a light in the coop. It's a CFL 7 watt on a timer. I have it set to come on before dusk, and go off when ever the time matches up with sunrise to give them their 14 hours. As the season progresses, and we have a lot of overcast weather, I may have it come on at 5:30 - 8:00 AM, and again before dusk to total 14 hours. So, it needs to be tweaked a bit every month. I don't think I'd give them a light in the run, b/c they may stay out and play until the light goes out, then they'd be stuck out in the dark. "They say" that the light should be provided only in the morning so that they would have a natural dusk and bedtime, but that would have the flock getting up at 2:30 AM to get their 14 hours. Rooster crowing at 2:30... NO THANKS! Not to mention that they'd be clammoring for their food at that hour. "They say" that if you give the extra light at night, the chickens will be stuck down on the floor, doing chicken things when lights suddenly go out, and they won't get to the perches. "I say" that my girls are always on the perch when the light goes out. They seem to be able to figure it out.

BTW, if you do decide to give them light, it's important to increase it gradually, and not stop it suddenly.

I do use a timer so I can keep the birds on a reasonble set of hours without flipping the coop lights on and off if I am running a bit late with the evening feeding. I turn the house lights on at 0730 in the morning this time of year and let the timer turn them off. The girls learn when the lights will go out and are on roost well before it happens. If the timer breaks they will let me know about it, a few hens can make quite a racket when they get upset!
Scott
 
Very interesting stuff @lazy gardener!

How early would one want to start the hens on high protein feed? Something like a meat bird feed or full-on gamebird level?

I'm hoping to be able to set some in November...
 

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