How much lighting for winter

[smcgill]

I'm using a light in the coop so the girls can find there way to there perches. The timer shuts it off @ 7pm.

 

[blackwhite]

I also read an article that says cedar bedding and pine shavings are not the best thing for the bottom of the hen house what are other suggestions besides hay.

 

[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..

 

[Amberjem]

is it better to use a regular color light or a red light?

 

[RonP]

Full spectrum, as close to natural as possible.

 

[Hokum Coco]

being all new to this I am not so sure how much lighting they need for winter ...

I have windows in my coop and I have 11 hens. I just let nature take it's course and do not bother with extra lighting. I still get ample eggs for the table. Extra lighting should increase egg production in a perfect world however.

 

[chicken chickie]

[COLOR=333333]I posted this on another query, this is how I do it, works extremely well, hope it helps:[/COLOR] the coops light goes on at dusk and off about 3 hours later on a timer ...they seem to enjoy the extra lighting ..they are still producing eggs regularly but again ...it's more for my Mommie and me time when it gets dark earlier and I have to work a lil later ...I just love my chickens that much I gotta spend time with them lol

[COLOR=333333]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.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]My coop gets 16 hours of light 351 days per year.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]I turn lights off for 14 days to have birds go into a controlled moult late September .[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Having had to install electricity for the thermostatically controlled water heater, I took advantage and installed a lighting system.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]My system has two timers. The first is set to turn the lights on at 5:30am, off at 9pm.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]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.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]I light the run because I found the birds huddled outside the coop door in the dark one 5:30am morning...[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]They have access to the run 24/7, as it is as secure as the coop.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]The lights are on only when it is dark enough outside to be necessary. [/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]The time on very closely mimics my Summer Solstice in NJ.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]The second timer is set to go on at 8:30pm, off at 9:30pm, a diffused 200 lumen LED 4 watt bulb.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=333333]This low light allows the birds to settle in before all lights out and 8 hours of darkness.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]This system costs less than $5 per year to operate..[/COLOR]

 

[sevenscuba]

Quick question: Does a red light encourage chickens to lay through the winter? My neighbors hens stopped laying, so they've put up a red heat light. I'm guessing the hens are working on a moult too. Will the red heat light actually work?

 

[RonP]

Quick search revealed this

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chickens-winter-egg-laying-and-lighting

 

[Amberjem]