Artificial Light and Roosting

[rclayton]

Trying to get the girls to lay a little more by adding a light. First time trying, always thought they needed the break. But feed costs and 8 girls laying maybe 1 egg a day ain't cutting it. They are roosting at 4pm now! Before the light was added they were going to roost at dusk, which is around 5:30pm here right now. The light comes on by a timer at 3am and shuts off at 7am. I have read that it could take 4-6 weeks for the light to make a difference but this going to roost so early got me puzzled. No change in feed (DuMor 16% Layer Pellets), water and free range all day/locked in at night. Your thoughts and advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

Sound like their schedule is all out of wack now, it will take time for them to adjust. Try switching to a waste free feeder and then a higher protein feed, protein is necessary for hormone production, sometimes it helps.

 

[ChickNanny13]

2x @nuthatched ... Higher protein feed; layer is only 16% protein unless you can get a 18 - 20% layer. I stopped feeding layer years ago when I read the article about the "energy" it took/burned for them to lay an egg. I now feed Flock Raiser (20%) with Oyster Shells free feed/separate dish. Some feed All Purpose or All Flock (18 - 20%) ... Wish I book marked that article.

From your post, I'm assuming the sunrise is 7am & sunset is 5:30pm.
Assuming you're setting the time 3am shutting off at 7am, thinking until 5:30pm it's 14hrs but them roosting earlier (4pm) is in question. Assuming you just started and confused as to why they're roosting at 4pm ... Think they're confused also. Why not instead of starting artificial light before the sunrise, make the day go longer so set the timer to light up the coop from 5PM - 10pm.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Trying to get the girls to lay a little more by adding a light. First time trying, always thought they needed the break. But feed costs and 8 girls laying maybe 1 egg a day ain't cutting it. They are roosting at 4pm now! Before the light was added they were going to roost at dusk, which is around 5:30pm here right now. The light comes on by a timer at 3am and shuts off at 7am. I have read that it could take 4-6 weeks for the light to make a difference but this going to roost so early got me puzzled. No change in feed (DuMor 16% Layer Pellets), water and free range all day/locked in at night. Your thoughts and advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!

I supplement their protein by adding floating fish food 38% protein to their wet mash.i also add blk sunflower seeds, and turn on lights at 4a.m.

 

[chixluv]

Trying to get the girls to lay a little more by adding a light. First time trying, always thought they needed the break. But feed costs and 8 girls laying maybe 1 egg a day ain't cutting it. They are roosting at 4pm now! Before the light was added they were going to roost at dusk, which is around 5:30pm here right now. The light comes on by a timer at 3am and shuts off at 7am. I have read that it could take 4-6 weeks for the light to make a difference but this going to roost so early got me puzzled. No change in feed (DuMor 16% Layer Pellets), water and free range all day/locked in at night. Your thoughts and advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!

Hi,

We normally make a homemade feed of rolled oats, barley, black oil sunflower seeds (great source of protein) and cracked corn. However, for winter we supplement with non-gmo trout cat food.

Also, I agree with @ChickNanny13 . Extending their day from 5p-10p will probably be a better schedule for them. We use a light in our coop in the winter and turn it off around 9p.

 

[rclayton]

Thanks for all of yalls info, it helped me a lot.

 

[triciayoung]

I always have a light on in my coop. It is a very dim light, kind of like a nightlight would be in a room. I have always been concerned about my silkies and my speckled sussex that get pushed off roosting bars when the big girls decide to be bullies - them not being able to see to get back up somewhere. This gives them just enough light to do so.

 

[IVRN]

Hi. I debated doing this then like you got tired of no egg production.
I got a $13 Xmas light timer and a string of xmas lights and have it set to go on at 4 am. In one week two hens started laying, and by week two all nine started laying again. Don’t have light on at night because they need to coop up and they may get caught in the dark when the lights go off suddenly and they aren’t roosting: always add the light in the morning. They don’t even need very much. A night light is enough to stimulate their pineal gland.

 

[IVRN]

Hi,

We normally make a homemade feed of rolled oats, barley, black oil sunflower seeds (great source of protein) and cracked corn. However, for winter we supplement with non-gmo trout cat food.

Also, I agree with @ChickNanny13 . Extending their day from 5p-10p will probably be a better schedule for them. We use a light in our coop in the winter and turn it off around 9p.

This onky works if you are there at night when the lights go off to make sure they are all roosting . Otherwise they can be caught in the dark when the lights suddenly go off and chickens can’t see in the dark. All the advice I’ve read is to only add light to the morning. I have mine set for 4 a.m. to give them three extra hours of light and they all started laying within 2-10 days.

 

[IVRN]

2x @nuthatched ... Higher protein feed; layer is only 16% protein unless you can get a 18 - 20% layer. I stopped feeding layer years ago when I read the article about the "energy" it took/burned for them to lay an egg. I now feed Flock Raiser (20%) with Oyster Shells free feed/separate dish. Some feed All Purpose or All Flock (18 - 20%) ... Wish I book marked that article.

From your post, I'm assuming the sunrise is 7am & sunset is 5:30pm.
Assuming you're setting the time 3am shutting off at 7am, thinking until 5:30pm it's 14hrs but them roosting earlier (4pm) is in question. Assuming you just started and confused as to why they're roosting at 4pm ... Think they're confused also. Why not instead of starting artificial light before the sunrise, make the day go longer so set the timer to light up the coop from 5PM - 10pm.

Mine roost at 4 ish as well. Because it’s getting dusky. Lights should not be added at night. They need to coop up and be on the roost. if you leave them on at night and at ten pm it is suddenly pitch black they can be caught unaware and not be roosting where it is safe and warm.