Artificial light questions.

[clairabean]

Quote:
Maybe you are referring to heat lights? The chickens get dependant on the warmth and do not adapt to warm themselves without it.

In my part of Canada it gets dark between 330-430pm in the afternoon. And in the mornings no light until 8am. That is a huge amount of time with darkness. I choose to use a light, on a timer, during these dark months. I hardly think that if the lights did go out they would die. They may be stuck on the coop floor, at the very, very most. Until 8am.

Lights on a timer still provides ample darkness.

 

[Gargoyle]

It's getting dark early here, so I got a few strings of solar xmas lights from Walgreens, on the end-of-season reduced shelf, $3.29 each. They collect light all day and then run for a few hours in the evening until they fade out. I don't know if it makes any difference, my girls have been laying great all winter, even without the light.

 

[berniezahm]

Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens says on page 192 (of the new revised edition) that supplemental lighting should be added when natural sun light drops below 15 hours per day.
My input is: Add the light only in the mornings and the chickens will find thier roost normaly as dusk comes on in the evening. A CFL bulb that produces the same light output as a 100 watt incandescent bulb only draws about 23 watts of energy. I've not read anything anywhere indicating that light supplementation shortens a chickens life. Possobly the 24 hour a day lighting in an egg farm operation could shorten the hens life, but then their life style as a battery hen (not that the hens have any choice in the matter) is probably responsible for more of the life shortening than the 24 hour a day light.
I personally use lights on timers to keep my girls laying through the winter months. I give them 16 hours a day of light between the CFL and normal sun light. that still gives them 8 hours per day of darkness to rest. I don't want any cranky hens.

 

[Linn Bee]

First time on-line today. Sorry you had to wait so long for a reply.

Pretty much agree with what the others have said. It may just be too early for your girls to start laying. Whatever is given for your breed as a laying date is an average starting date for that breed. If the pullets haven't read the book, then they will start in their own due time.

It has often been said here that most chickens will lay the first year regardless of the amount of light, but I give my girls extra light (60 watts) partly in the morning and partly in the evening to match my summer dawn/dusk hours. Lights are set on timers with one red light on 15 min. before and 15 min. after lights out time so my chickens have warning that "night" is coming.

I guess I feel that I'm feeding them all year, I'd like their cooperation in feeding me. I'm not into 24/7 light because I think we all need a good night's sleep.

The idea that adding light makes them dependent on it is really referring to adding heat - of whatever kind - to the coop. If there is a power failure, having less light will merely reduce the number of eggs, but having a dependency on warmth may cause problems if the birds haven't developed full winter feathering because of the artificial heat. I don't heat my coop, although it is very well insulated. Chickens I've had in the past were fine in an old, uninsulated shed with temperatures down to -25 degrees (F).

 

[kjfrogster41]

We have an outdoor 100 Watt flood lamp on when the days are overcast, which happens a great deal here in the winter on mid-coast Maine. I leave it on from approximately 7 AM until 7 PM and when I go out to turn it off they know it's time to get on their roost and tuck in for the night.

On sunny days they go out in their tractor. Given all this light exposure, these RIRs are still not laying at 20 weeks! However, I think they are considering it. They have been "nesting" in their boxes and making lots of funny "purring" noises while in the box.

Don't want to be a pushy Mom, but sure wish that they would get one with it.

 

[Wnunezcruz]

Well I have a heat lamp on my chickens. I just can't afford to lose any chickens. They do fine with the heat and I have been doing this for years every winter. I have never put a light on the chickens before because the heat lamp provides light also. Everyone has their opinions and ways and this is the way I do it.