coop in dense shade

[LittleRedMama]

Our backyard is pretty densely wooded, and the coop sits there in the shade most of the day - will this affect egg production? When the girls range in the yard, they stay under the shrubbery, where it is cool and somewhat protected, and dark. My hens are just now 20 weeks and I've started to wonder about all sorts of things I may be doing wrong!

Thanks.

 

[2txmedics]

my coop is under 3 huge trees...and if you see my pictures...they still get alot of sunlight...from the sides...infact I have to put a tarp up on one side during the day at times...to get them some shade. dont know how bad yours is...

click on my tag:
my beautiful babies...to see

 

[edselpdx]

My girls are just now 21 weeks old and I got my first eggs starting 1 week ago from my barred rock Artemis. My coop and run are in very dense shade from a mature douglas fir and a big old dogwood tree this time of year. The run gets about 1 hour of partial sun in the mornings. My other 2 have not yet started laying.

I don't know if this will affect production in the long run, but I think it's hours of daylight and not direct sun that influence their laying hormones. The only thing you may need to worry about is Vit D. Apparently chickens need it, too. As in humans, it is produced by exposure to sun. You can supplement a human orally, so maybe there something you (and I) can do to increase Vit D, because physiologically it's very related to bone growth and density.

For what it's worth, though, Artemis' eggs are MUCH harder than grocery store eggs so far. I'm interested in others' opinions/evidence on this.

Sonya

 

[montana girl]

I really don't think its the intensity of the sunlight, just the fact that its there. Time the sunlight hours in the run and see what you get. I bet its just fine.

 

[JessHall]

Quote:
I agree. If worst come to absolute worst, you can install a light on a timer in there. BUT, I have a sneaking suspicion your coop is gonna be just fine