Another question about light in the coop...

[JanetS]

I have a 7 watt light in the coop at night for my chickens. They have always had this light. When first putting them in the coop at 8 weeks old they had a hard time adjusting so I put in the light which helped settle them down. I just never took it out. Since my chickens are pets I don't care about egg production. Would it cause them a lot of stress if I took it out now? It's not very bright. My chickens are 10 months old and this is their first winter. Thank You.

 

[larsalan]

I have a 3watt led light that I leave on 24/7. I think it helps them to get back in there and up on their roost when its getting dark out.
If you want to take it out I doubt a chicken will mind. I think is nice to have a light. Imagine if you had to walk around in your house with no light at all

 

[JanetS]

I agree, but I keep reading about how having a light in the coop is not good for the chickens.

 

[aggiemae]

My opinion is that its good for chickens to get a break from daily laying in the dead of winter but not everyone agrees.

As for the chickens being used to the light being on, it will take a few days for them to learn to settle in before natural dark, but in the end they will probably sleep better in the dark. If you have a window in your coop try leaving the light on unit they settle then turning it off. They will sleep (or at least rest) on the roost until it's light outside in the morning. Do this for a few days then cut out the light all together.

If you don't already have a window consider installing one. We put ours at roost height and have one on the coop door too.

The girls really like looking out the window. They see me coming in the morning and all hop down to wait by the door.

 

[larsalan]

I agree, but I keep reading about how having a light in the coop is not good for the chickens.

The light I use is very dim and its directional. So, its hanging and pointing downward on like half the roost. My observation is the majority of chickens choose to be under the light the majority of the time. It's not like a heat lamp it's just a very weak light. Certainly less than most moonlight nights.

 

[JanetS]

Is a 7 watt light bulb bright enough to affect egg laying? I agree that chickens should have a break in winter but I live in Florida and it doesn't get to cold here. I didn't think much about the light until I started reading about light and egg production on this website. The light is on the other side of the coop away from their roost and is pointed down. There are 3 windows too. I just want what's best for my chicken's health. Thanks for your replies.

 

[debid]

At 10 months, it's unlikely they would take the winter off, regardless. I don't think 7W is enough to restart laying in hens taking a seasonal break (I was advised to use 40W in a 4x8 coop) but any light does reach the eye and makes a difference in hormone levels. So, yes,it affects them but probably not in a meaningful way.

 

[JanetS]

Thank you. That was helpful.

 

[larsalan]

I dont think a small light like that will have much effect on laying. I had read some poultry farming thing that was talking about chickens per sq/ft and watts per square foot and light color. They were talking about much higher wattage.
I think the 7w sounds good. Otherwise at like 60w or more you start to get into quite a lot of electricity/$. I guess that's if you run it 24/7, I did some calculations on what I get charged for electric. And a 75w 24/7 would cost more than buying eggs at the store.
I say keep all the accoutrement to a minimum.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I dont think a small light like that will have much effect on laying. I had read some poultry farming thing that was talking about chickens per sq/ft and watts per square foot and light color. They were talking about much higher wattage.
I think the 7w sounds good. Otherwise at like 60w or more you start to get into quite a lot of electricity/$. I guess that's if you run it 24/7, I did some calculations on what I get charged for electric. And a 75w 24/7 would cost more than buying eggs at the store.
I say keep all the accoutrement to a minimum.

Wow, your electric rates must be high! A 75 watt bulb here (24/7) would be about $7.29/month and our rate is around 13.5 cents a kilowatt. That is about 3 dozen eggs a month and I get around 20 dozen from 12 girls, so still would be OK. My 40 watt bulb on 5 hours a day costs about .81 a month. A 40 watt bulb is enough for an 8 by 8 coop. Why would you light 24/7?