Artificial light for laying in the winter

[TheChickenGirl0816]

Hello! This will be my first winter with my hens. I feel confident about my plans for them being warm/dry enough, however, I wanted to get people's thoughts on having artificial light to encourage laying in the winter months. I've been seeing some differing opinions and would love to hear others

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Not on my watch... It can increase laying but I prefer natural and add in new pullets that won't be molting every year. Also choosing to keep a breed or two that are known good winter layers helps.

In my opinion it can cause behavioral issues and if not done properly even health issues. EVERY living thing on the face of the earth needs a rest period, even evergreen trees go through one. The whole point of keeping chickens (aside from the fun) is to be different than the chicken industry, why replicate what they are doing. Keep enough hens to provide for the family and even preserve some eggs to last during the slow season. Unwashed eggs will last an incredible amount of time in the fridge. We have eaten eggs that were 6 months old with just a slightly bigger air pocket in them. They can also be frozen into ice cube trays and then to a zip lock bag. To me there are just too many other ways to have egg supply in winter than adding to my power/feed bill and other possible issues.

Of course, that's my opinion and what works for me. We all have different agendas and reasons why we do what we do. So with anything, I suggest you do what makes sense and works for YOU.

The hens that are old enough to molt NEED to do so. Some use extra lighting for only a portion of the winter to ensure this happens.

Best wishes, whatever you choose!

 

[lazy gardener]

Molting will happen whether you supplement lighting or not. My preference is to give them a fall break. The hens who molt in the fall will do so, and regardless of molt or not, my production dwindles way down as fall progresses. I then start to ramp up my supplemental lighting, ending with a 14 hour day, 6:30 AM to 8:30 PM with some extra light at either end of the day. They get their break, I get my eggs. A lot depends on your flock density, age, coop size, and management goals. There is no right or wrong answer here, and what works for one might not work for you.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

This is going to be my first winter with chickens too. I will absolutely not be adding artificial light so they lay through the winter. If their bodies feel it needs the energy elsewhere keeping warm, then I want their bodies to use it. If their bodies feel its ok to keep laying, then I guess they will. I don't want to force something if it should be.

 

[wamtazlady]

If your girls are from this year's hatch they will most likely lay through the winter even if you don't add light. Mine always do the first winter. Chickens molt at about 18 months old, just about the time of their second winter will start. That is when you can add light if you want them to lay through their second winter. I don't add light, preferring to let the girls have a rest if they need one.

If you want eggs year round a good solution is to always have some first year pullets. I have a friend who gets 10 new chicks each spring. He rotates between Red Star, Black Star, and Barred Rock. As the new pullets start to lay he culls the chickens that are oldest. With him getting a different breed every year it's easy to tell which ones are the oldest.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

This is going to be my first winter with chickens too. I will absolutely not be adding artificial light so they lay through the winter. If their bodies feel it needs the energy elsewhere keeping warm, then I want their bodies to use it. If their bodies feel its ok to keep laying, then I guess they will. I don't want to force something if it should be.

In general I agree with you about letting them use their energy where needed which is definitely what happens during molt. But I don't really think it's about needing the energy to stay warm. Laying is hormonal and those hormones are triggered by light. Probably how God set their bodies up so they would not be trying to hatch dead of winter. But even then, some hens didn't get the message.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I have lights on timers in my coop. But that is because my coop is a concrete room with only one little window - so very little natural light. The window is also used for the pop door to get out to the run. I need the light to get them to go into the coop at night even during the summer.
I shortened the time the light is on for the fall, hoping to get them to molt. They are still laying, but at a reduced rate. And still not molting. I will start increasing the length of light in the coop in a couple of weeks whether they molt or not. I cannot afford to keep chickens around all winter if they are not adding to the food supply. even the dogs have chores to do - the german shepherd chased way a fox yesterday and a coyote last week.

 

[Cindy in PA]

You'll get lots of "opinions" here. I have lighted for 24 years, starting the light by August 15 & ending in May keeping no less than 14 hours of light. My chickens always molt regardless, at their own pace. Some will be laying & some molting. Never had more than 1 chicken die in the three years I keep them & one from my first bunch laid an egg or two a week until she died at 8 1/2. YMMV

 

[wyoDreamer]

If your girls are from this year's hatch they will most likely lay through the winter even if you don't add light. Mine always do the first winter. Chickens molt at about 18 months old, just about the time of their second winter will start. That is when you can add light if you want them to lay through their second winter. I don't add light, preferring to let the girls have a rest if they need one.

If you want eggs year round a good solution is to always have some first year pullets. I have a friend who gets 10 new chicks each spring. He rotates between Red Star, Black Star, and Barred Rock. As the new pullets start to lay he culls the chickens that are oldest. With him getting a different breed every year it's easy to tell which ones are the oldest.

I like this idea.
I got 6 brown hens this fall to supplement the 9 older Sagitta hens that I have. Well, actually 7 Sagitta and 2 browns. Right now I am getting between 3 and 5 eggs a day from 9 hens. Most of the summer I got 9 to 11 eggs per day from 12 hens.

We have a friend who exchanges Maple Syrup for fresh eggs, DH is worried about his syrup supply with the decreased production. He took a dozen in today, and left us with 3 eggs in the house. I hope today is a 5 egg day.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have lights on timers in my coop. But that is because my coop is a concrete room with only one little window - so very little natural light. The window is also used for the pop door to get out to the run. I need the light to get them to go into the coop at night even during the summer.
I shortened the time the light is on for the fall, hoping to get them to molt. They are still laying, but at a reduced rate. And still not molting. I will start increasing the length of light in the coop in a couple of weeks whether they molt or not. I cannot afford to keep chickens around all winter if they are not adding to the food supply. even the dogs have chores to do - the german shepherd chased way a fox yesterday and a coyote last week.

I totally get this mentality about not keeping unproductive hens through winter...

I have found it's cheaper and EASIER for me to keep my hens through at least their first molt VERSES raising new birds that may not lay for 6 months and then start laying small. So size does matter.

Agreed, even my dogs serve a purpose. They might help with flock protection, but they definitely help to keep 2 legged human wild life away from the house as well.. besides their mental therapy aspect.

@Cindy in PA , I had to look up YMMV...

Sorry for your loss. Can I also ask another question, since that's a nice long life... did you also feed layer that whole time including during molt? And out of curiosity do you mind sharing breed?