Artifical Light

[redheadmom]

No eggs since Daylight Savings! Our local cooperative suggests using artifical light in the coop via a timer to turn on the light early in the am. Anyone else experiencing this sudden change from laying to NO laying and switched to artifical light? All you chickens pros out there please share your chicken experiences! Should I use artifical light or not?
Should we give the girls a break during the winter? Are we expecting to much to have eggs year round?? They also experience loose stools. I provided some yogurt and seems to have cleared it up. Weather here on the DELVARMA has been rainy and cooler. Last two days are much sunny and warmer.

My five black sex links are 28-30 weeks old! We also have a Miniature horse - 18 months old - she came down with pneumia. Vet cam out and she is improving. Vet does not seem to know much about chickens. Just wondering if the rain is affecting the chickens just like the horse. I'm stalling that baby horse next heavy rain. Too bad if she hates being stalled.

Thanks for your input!

 

[twistedpickle]

They need 12 hrs of light for best laying results, I use garden low watt floresents set on a timer, 12 on 12 off. Without the proper light they will cut down or even stop laying. you can get all this at local hardware store or lowes ,homedepot. spend the extra money for the garden or sunshine floresents as they have the uv rays they need for year round laying.

good luck

 

[redheadmom]

Thanks--
Hubby stopping his favorite store - lowes!

 

[bnchristian]

We noticed a small decline as teh days shortened. so we put in a light with a timer and it worked wonders all my girls are laying again

I am still worried about when the colder weather comes but for now all is great!

 

[redheadmom]

What are you located? I'm Maryland Eastern Shore! This is our first winter with the Chickens. My 11 year old son and Vet wanna be wants more chickens for Christmas, but I thinking it is best to see how this first year goes.


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Mom to 3 RedHeaded Boys, 1 dog, 1 miniature horse, 1 Chincoteague foal, 2 dwarf nigerian goats, 5 Black Sex Link Chickens, 1 Rabbit, and two many koi fish to count-----------It is a Real Noah's Ark!

 

[jwchicklady]

I just use a regular light bulb and it works fine, my girls have not stopped laying.

 

[Mahlzeit]

I heard it was 14 hours of light for optimal laying. I'm in NY and have a timer in the coop and have the light turning on early in the morning until its light out.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
Ideally, for layers exposed to natural daylight like all our backyard birds, the artificial light should be added to maintain the length of the longest day of the year at your location. Their cue to curtail their laying is the shorter day lengths, if you maintain the same day length year round they won't ever see the days getting shorter.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
I keep chickens to get eggs, otherwise they are just expensive lawn ornaments. No free loaders here. If you want to stimulate them to start laying, add 30 minutes of light a week until they are all laying. They need to see increasing day lengths to start laying.

 

[the 412 chicks]

So im a lilconfused in ohio what time should i set my timmer for