Coop skylight: effect on crowing, laying, heat?

[allpeepedout]

I am replacing the entire roof structure of a large shed, 22x26, the SE corner of which will become a coop 8x10 with an attached partially covered run. The building has two people doors, two small windows that don't open. The windows light the coop area. The new roof is white sheet metal, and I am thinking of adding one 9 x 3 panel of white translucent skylight to help with lighting. There is also a newly created gap between the roof, which has been raised up a bit, and the old walls all the way around, which adds a bit of lighting and lots of ventilation (yes, will wire over these gaps).

I am new to chicken keeping and have one roo by accident. Will the skylight encourage earlier crowing (don't want that!)? Will it make hens lay when they otherwise would not? I would prefer hens to follow their natural cycles rather than try to stimulate continuous laying.

Put the skylight panel in the coop end or far from it? Skylight planned to face north, so as to not heat up coop too much. Chickens should have open door access to covered run facing east in summer and most other times.

Thanks.

 

[patandchickens]

Don't -- your summers are WAY too hot (also your springs and falls

). You will end up with severe heat problems; and also condensation->humidity->frostbite problems in winter.

Put translucent panel(s) to help with lighting in the WALLS, not the roof. Seriously!

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Judy]

It's certainly possible it will encourage earlier crowing, but it should not affect egg laying; this is done with added, electrical light which changes daylight length.

I would not, however, put a skylight in, for two reasons (at least. ) Most important, they need shade in summer. Even in your climate they will have more trouble coping with heat than cold.
Also, they leak, sooner or later.

 

[allpeepedout]

Thanks very much! I have a family member voting for, and I had a gut feeling no. I think it's going to be a very nice space, with lots of air. Only 7 chickens. Now.