How much lighting for winter

[chicken chickie]

being all new to this I am not so sure how much lighting they need for winter ...days are getting shorter here quickly ...my husband put up these lights all around and in their bedroom/coop ...how much is good enough

 

[RonP]

I posted this on another query, this is how I do it, works extremely well, hope it helps:

There are a lot of opinions on supplementing light to keep the chickens laying during time period where there is less than 12-14 hours of available daylight.

My coop gets 16 hours of light 351 days per year.

I turn lights off for 14 days to have birds go into a controlled moult late September .

Having had to install electricity for the thermostatically controlled water heater, I took advantage and installed a lighting system.

My system has two timers. The first is set to turn the lights on at 5:30am, off at 9pm.

Power goes on, passes through a photocell, then to a 300 lumen LED bulb, 4.8 watts, in the 8x8 foot print coop, and 2 4.8 watt LEDs for the 14x14 foot print outside run.

I light the run because I found the birds huddled outside the coop door in the dark one 5:30am morning...
They have access to the run 24/7, as it is as secure as the coop.

The lights are on only when it is dark enough outside to be necessary.
The time on very closely mimics my Summer Solstice in NJ.

The second timer is set to go on at 8:30pm, off at 9:30pm, a diffused 200 lumen LED 4 watt bulb.
This low light allows the birds to settle in before all lights out and 8 hours of darkness.

This system costs less than $5 per year to operate..

 

[EagleEyes]

Well, I'm new to it too, and mine are going to get NO light other than the sun. If I get less or no eggs, so be it. It's not something that I want to deal with come winter.
BTW, still waiting for my first egg.
Just what I'm going to do.

 

[mtngirl35]

I've had my girls for 18 months. I've never used any lights and my egg production did not slow down in winter. I guess its personal preference.

 

[chicken chickie]

To be honest it's not all really for egg production ...I work a lil later some nights and miss out on spending time with them cause they go to bed earlier ..yes I'm obsessed

 

[EagleEyes]

That would be a good idea here, except at about 6:00pm if they are out in the yard, they decide that it is time to go to bed/roost, and off they go.
And, I'm retired so have the day to be around if I want.

What you did looks really good. Do they come out after dark with the lights on?

 

[chicken chickie]

That would be a good idea here, except at about 6:00pm if they are out in the yard, they decide that it is time to go to bed/roost, and off they go.
And, I'm retired so have the day to be around if I want.

What you did looks really good. Do they come out after dark with the lights on?

yup it's getting dark at about 6 ish too ..I have the lights on a timer and just started this weekend ...they do go in when it gets dark outside but seem to stay up for a bit when lights are on but stay inside of coop ..especially when I am in the run part ... When they are ready even with lights on the go upstairs and start to settle down so I say my good nights and turned off lights manually

 

[chicken chickie]

Oh and I never ever let them roam unattended ...I close up the coop even if I am still inside with them and if I am not there the coop stays locked up good ....don't want any predators to get inside either

 

[mtngirl35]

To be honest it's not all really for egg production ...I work a lil later some nights and miss out on spending time with them cause they go to bed earlier ..yes I'm obsessed

Its OK to be chicken obsessed. We all are here.

 

[chicken chickie]

Thanks ..I am glad I found this forum to share the enthusiasm with ...I don't feel like I am the kooky old chicken Lady of the neighborhood