Artificial Light On A Timer

[TOPChickens14]

I have my coop hooked up with lights and timers right now. I have read around a little bit and done some experimenting myself. People say it's best to give the chickens a natural sunset. So, don't have the lights come on in the evening/early night. Is that true? Right now I have the timers to come on both in the morning and at night so I can get the 16 hours in. I don't want to have them on too early in the morning and so doing half of the time required in the morning then half in the evening, makes it so I don't have that problem. The big question is, how do you all program your timers? Do you put all of the time in the morning and then they're waking up at 3 am, or do you have the lights on in the evening when they are roosting?

Thank you!!!

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

For mornings, have lights turn on when you want to start their day, about half an hour or so after then open their coop up to allow them outside and the lights can go off. Turn them on before you want them to go to bed in the evening and then put them all in the coop, once they're shut in about half hour later turn their lights off.

My experience is with quail but I was also told they need a natural sunset/down and it's made absolutely no difference. Just don't use very bright lights! For my quail I use Christmas lights because they're not very bright (bright enough to make them think it's morning) and use very little electricity.

Just remember if you keep them in the coop because you're away for a weekend don't turn the lights off between mornings and evenings, leave them on!