Confused about providing light as the days get shorter

[BGinVA]

This is my first season raising chickens. I currently have 2 groups, one is a group of 5 that is about 10 weeks old, and the other is a group of 6 about a week old. The big chicks are in the coop, the little are in the brooder. Based on my estimates, the earliest I should expect eggs would be mid November to early December. Obviously the day light hours are quite short at that time. I've read about giving them more light to alter the natural cycle and get eggs during the short days, but seem to find conflicting opions. Some don't think its a good idea and don't do it and others do. I'm not sure of all of the reasons of why it is good or bad to do so except that I do realize that after they have been laying for a while they could use the "rest". But if they are coming into their first laying season, should I provide that light so I don't have to wait until spring for my first eggs? Or should I just wait it out however long it takes? If I do supplement the lighting when should I start? How many hours should I be sure they get? If I don't am I looking at April or so before expecting eggs? Any advice or suggetions welcome, tia!

 

[7L Farm]

You shouldn't try to fool mother nature there's a rhyme & reason for everything. Thats just me there your chickens.

 

[Fred's Hens]

It is a choice. For some folks, they are in it for the long haul, want to go entirely natural and don't mind the lack of eggs in the winter. For others? They are excited and anxious to get those eggs for whatever reason, but this is why they have the chickens. See? It is that simple. A choice.

In most cases, especially with first year pullets, they don't need much lighting supplement. Just a few, pre-dawn hours. That's it. Most breeds will lay just fine. First year pullets are good layers. It is likely to be their most productive year. Chickens in Hawaii, Africa, Asia and South America, nearer the equator, don't have big swings in daylight from January to June. At the equator, chickens receive just 12 hours of daylight year around. No more, no less. They lay just fine. Sure, 14 hours of daylight is an amount designed to maximize results, but 14 hours isn't necessary. With northern areas of North America dipping to only 8 or 9 hours of daylight in December through January? Decisions and choices are made. You decide.

 

[BGinVA]

While I'm anxious to get my first eggs, I kind of like the natural approach. I think I will discard the thought of providing the supplemental light as I'm not in an egg race. But I could still possibly get some eggs over the winter without the light? Thanks for the advice!

 

[mickey328]

The natural way of things is for laying to slow down over the winter...the birds need more of their food energy to keep warm and find more food, so less of it is used for egg production.

We did a lot of research and decided to sort of split the difference, LOL. We don't want them going full bore all winter because we don't want them to burn out, but do want to maintain some laying...we'll be happy to go from 4 or 5 a day to 2 or 3 (we have 6 hens) So, we put a light in the coop on a timer. It comes on just about 2 hours before dawn, so they'll get about 14 hours of light a day. We'll monitor and if they're still producing like they have all summer, we'll likely reduce the time or simply turn it off.

 

[seventreesfarm]

We sell eggs and need to count on a certain amount of production. That being said, we're not crazy about it and don't run our hennery like a factory farm. We assume at least 10 more hens than eggs needed per day. That usually compensates for winter slow down without breaking the feed budget.

We have a dim bluish LED light on all night in the nesting area. It seems to decrease those midnight perch battles. We have a 25 watt bulb in that area that comes on at 4am and stays on all day until 6pm or so, so the nesting area has a bit of light all day. We used to have it set to turn off after a few hours, but sometimes the sun never comes out and the hens don't lay on gloomy days.

We also have a 25 watt bulb in the area where food & water is. It comes on at 4 and turns off by daybreak. This encourages them to eat enough to keep up with laying. Our gals have rotational grazing paddocks, so they always get a good diet of commercial food, free range, and crops we grow especially for their fodder, like rutabagas, wheat, corn & squash.

Our baby coop only gets natural lighting once they are old enough not to need the heat lamp.

There is some good reading here about light timing - http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/Y4628E/y4628e03.htm

 

[mickey328]

Well, it's certainly a different thing if you need the production for sale. We sell our excess as we accrue it simply because there's no way we could eat enough to keep up with them! LOL We don't have many gloomy days here but they come along once in a while. I haven't noticed a reduction in eggs on those days particularly, but I have noticed an increase in noise...evidently they like the sun!

That site has a lot of information; you've obviously done your homework and treat your girls well...kudos to you!

 

[K-9Dog]

I decided to add a solar light - I can turn it on in the AM and shut it off a bit later and also turn it on in the late afternoon and shut it off at about 7-7:30PM. just helps get a few more eggs in the winter. esp. since I only have 2 (lost 1 in the 112 degree heat). if they decrease a bit that is fine but i do not want them to shutdown completely.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you choose to add a small wattage light to aid in egg production, it is good to only add it in the early morning hours. My chickens had a light on their first winter, and I never wanted them to be caught in the coop eating or running around when the light shuts off in the dark at night. They need to get on their roosts when there is still light enough to see it.

 

[seventreesfarm]

If you choose to add a small wattage light to aid in egg production, it is good to only add it in the early morning hours.  My chickens had a light on their first winter, and I never wanted them to be caught in the coop eating or running around when the light shuts off in the dark at night.  They need to get on their roosts when there is still light enough to see it. 

That's why I have a nightlight in my nesting area. In winter here it gets dark around 4:30 , and I just can't see putting the lights on at 2am so they can have a 14 hour day. The nightlight is cool spectrum and dim enough that it doesn't interfere with sleeping but gives enough light for them to find perches. I also have the outermost light turn off first so they automatically head to the perching area.

Works great so far.