Artificial light in the chicken coop

[gritsar]

Quote:
Agreed. I am getting good winter production out of both of my coops. In the one coop they are all pullets, just starting to lay. In my other coop they are nearly three years old, but good winter layers - brahmas. I don't add light.

 

[roosterndad]

I asked this question before but maybe not clearly.

If I have an enclosed coop with an automatic door set on a timer, do I need to provide food and water inside the coop in addition to that in the run if my timer turns on a light in the coop at 5am during the winter months (to increase egg production) but the timer doesn't open the automatic door to the run until sunrise at 7am?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I certainly would. Your chickens are going to wake up at 5 am and they are going to be hungry.

 

[stephaniej2004]

Perhaps you can reply to my dilemma! The only place in our yard where we were able to put our coop was on the north side. It doesn't get alot of sun there anyway. And now that it is winter, we have put a tarp over the top of our run (only three feet tall) so there is even less sunlight. I know it is not an ideal situation! Would you recommend using artificial light in the run? 24/7? I am just worried they dont have enough light. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Beekissed]

You could arch some PVC or cattle panel fencing over that run and overlay it with thick, clear plastic instead of a tarp. It would shed the elements and let the necessary light into the run.

 

[stephaniej2004]

What I don't understand, is what good it does anyone to put a light in their coop, when the birds are just going to get up and leave it anyway? Is that a dumb question? :/

 

[Beekissed]

They have it on a timer to come on while it's still dark in the morning to extend their "daylight" hours artificially. Some folks don't have a timer and just leave a dim light on in the coop all night.

 

[stephaniej2004]

That is a really good idea! Thanks so much for the quick response! Is daylight good enough, even if it isn't direct sunlight? And which is more important, light or dry ground?

 

[stephaniej2004]

Red or White?

 

[Beekissed]

That is a really good idea! Thanks so much for the quick response! Is daylight good enough, even if it isn't direct sunlight? And which is more important, light or dry ground?

Both!

Having dry ground underfoot isn't as important as what kind of ground it is that is wet in the winter. If it's a barren, slick, hard packed or muddy run then it's never good, no matter the season. If you can create a run that is more like a forest floor with leaf pack and good soil underneath it, then it doesn't matter if it gets wet. Mine free range all year so they are on wet soil when it rains and snows and not on wet soils when it doesn't...the difference being they aren't directly on the soils but on grass and forest floor with healthy, clean soils underneath.

Daylight has always been good enough for mine but it all depends on how fast you want your hens to burn out on laying. If you want to keep them productive for awhile, you don't provide artificial lighting in the winter. If you don't care about all that, you can light 'em up.