Are there really only 4 months/year when. . .

[horsewishr]

I don't have to have extra light in the coop?????

I just looked up a "length of day" calculator, and it says I have 14 hours of daylight only from May 1 to August 11. Do I have to start lighting the coop already?

 

[2mnypets]

I've got mine on

 

[FamilyOfChickens]

I put a light in the coop when I need a thick winter coat.

I've never really got why people keep their coops lighted all the time...I mean, they're going to lay anyways.

Just my own opinion.

 

[chickbea]

I have a summer coop and a winter one. Only my winter coop has electricity, and I don't move them into that until it gets really cold at night - here that is in October sometime.
It all depends on how far north you are.

 

[FluffyChickenMama]

I think I read somewhere that factory farms keep a light on 24/7 so that the chickens will lay more??

 

[2mnypets]

I'm trying to break my hubby from leaving the light on. I've told him all the negatives but he thinks it will keep predators out. I think the light is just a peace of mind thing for HIM!!!!! Don't know what else to do to break DH of the light....not the chickens!

 

[speckledhen]

You can keep predators away by playing a radio on a talk station quietly rather than keeping the light on. I think predators get used to the light being on, but hearing people talking inside the coop should keep them away. If you keep a light on them 24/7, they will burn out quickly. That actually has been proven to cause reproductive cancer, something factory farms do not care about since they cull their birds and replace them with new ones frequently.

 

[2mnypets]

See I have told him all this. He's so protective of "his" birds. Will continue to work on him in this area that's for sure.

 

[cookinmom]

Hey, I like that radio idea!

 

[Bec]

Has anyone ever tried a red bulb? I know that in reptiles, they can't see the red bulb light as well so they still do their nightly activities and stay warm. You can't interrupt a nocturnal animals routines, especially one that needs heat. So would this same concept work for chickens? It would still be darker but not a bright sun shiny light on all night.