Now that is is getting dark at 5:30ish here on the east coast, can I put the light on a timer so that they get light until 7? It seems the later laying girls have stopped because it is dark so early. Would this be ok for them?
Time change and egg laying...
- Thread starter Bec
- Start date
It's recommended that you extend the light in the morning and not evening,ie, put the timer to turn on 1-2 hrs. before sunrise. My timer turns on at 3:45 am.
- Thread starter
- #3
That is interesting...any reason why that is better? And are there dimmers so that the light eases on instead of just popping on at 4am??? LOL
There are varied opinions on this but you can give them more light
to assist in laying. Some say it is harder on the hens and will prevent
molting, a natural process they need for good health.
As for the time change your chickens don't know it's 5:00 instead
of 6:00. That is a human thing. What they do know is it is colder
out and the days are shorter.
Our chickens have light until 11:30 PM and have since they were chicks.
They are getting less and later light in the mornings causing them to
lay later in the day.
to assist in laying. Some say it is harder on the hens and will prevent
molting, a natural process they need for good health.
As for the time change your chickens don't know it's 5:00 instead
of 6:00. That is a human thing. What they do know is it is colder
out and the days are shorter.
Our chickens have light until 11:30 PM and have since they were chicks.
They are getting less and later light in the mornings causing them to
lay later in the day.
- Mar 19, 2007
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If you set the timer to go off at night, you will have the chickens end up in total darkness in split seconds.If they're on the coop floor scratching around, they won't be able to get to their roost. Sudden light in the AM doesn't effect them much - they can get off their roost, scratch around and as daylight happens outside, they'll head on out.
I think part of the reasoning is that if you pop on the light in the morning they will wake up and get moving, then when it starts to get dark they will naturally start getting ready for bed. Whereas if you cut the light at 10PM it is suddenly dark and no matter where they are at that time there is no light so now you have chickens trying to find a roosting spot in total darkness.
No I don't know exactly why, that's what I've read in the books. It's a fluorescent bulb so how ever long that takes to kick in, would be their warning. Maybe someone more experienced than me, would know why.? I also leave a 7 watt nite lite on 24/7, so they're never in total darkness.
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I think you better rethink this thought I have a clock in my coop nd my chickens CAN tell time, just ask them its always time for a treat.
I think you better rethink this thought I have a clock in my coop nd my chickens CAN tell time, just ask them its always time for a treat.
- Thread starter
- #9
I just wasn't sure how shorter days effect egg laying....if they lay and hour later each day, from what I have read, that took away one hour, but then again i guess it is light earlier in the morning....I know I have some that lay later in the day. So if the later-day layers have to lay and it gets dark, do they just hold it until the next morning??
Sorry if it sounds dumb, I am new to this and trying to understand how it all works...lol...
Sorry if it sounds dumb, I am new to this and trying to understand how it all works...lol...
Re: flourescent bulbs.... I read on a co-op extension web page that if you use flourescent you have to be sure that it is a warm (yellow-orange) bulb, not the standard blue-toned type in offices, etc. The blue kind doesn't have the right wavelength to stimulate the hens laying. We have a compact flourescent, warm tone, and i HOPE it has the right wavelength! Otherwise, total waste of electricity.
Stacey
Stacey
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