adding a light/ comes on at 4:30am/ok if it's outside the coop? (pic)

[backdoorchicken]

or does it need to be inside?


this is a temporary placement to show where i will put the light. will this work to continue/increase egg production?

 

[backdoorchicken]

also do you think that bulb might be a bit too much light?

 

[GwenDellAnno]

Now that looks like a nifty idea. I hope someone can tell us whether it's OK or not?

 

[Rebel Rooster]

It will definately help! The light to the bird's eye is one of the keys for egg production...

 

[backdoorchicken]

i did not want it inside because i will have a heat bulb on a thermostat inside this winter.



is 4:30 soon enough you think?

 

[Ravenseye]

Last winter, I had mine outside the mesh door of the coop, facing in towards the hens. They did fine.

 

[swheat]

Just make sure they have 14 hours of light. Count your daylight hours, then add then number of hour needed to make 14, and turn them on in the morning.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

If it's bright enough so that you can just barely read a newspaper then it's enough to stimulate egg production. It has little to do with the birds' eyes. The light is absorbed by the hens' bodies and stimulates production of hormones that trigger reproduction. Even a blind hen will respond to changes in the amount of daylight.

 

[backdoorchicken]

nice

 

[SandyK]

I was reading on this board in another post about heat lamps. The poster said they cost about $30 a month to run and you have to be very careful so nothing catches on fire because of them. Wonder how much the light in your picture would cost to run each month just for extra eggs? Would it be worth it? I only have 7 hens, so probably not. We had quite a few chickens 19 years ago here in Maryland and never heated their barn. Now I'm hearing about people wanting to heat the coops. We certainly didn't have nice forums on an internet to find out all the information we learn now. I love seeing all the beautiful pictures of everyone's chickens. Makes me want one of each!!