coop window

[can you hear me now?]

my coop doesn't have a window as of yet. My question is if i need a window or is it just a nicety for them to see with? does the lack of a window affect egg laying?

 

[dacjohns]

Windows let in light, something you might want for flock and coop maintenance. Also something you might want since hens need, what, 12 hours or so of light for egg production (someone help me here).

Windows let in fresh air. Something you really want, it helps to keep the ammonia fumes from decomposing chicken poo from gathering in the coop. Also need air circulation in the hot days of summer.

 

[Chirpy]

Hens need 14 hours of daylight everyday to be optimum in their laying. In the winter you have two options:

1) Use artificial light to keep them in that "daylight" for 14 hours a day. If you chose to do that you will want the light to come on in the morning to add onto the normal daylight hours. You don't want the light left on at night because when it all of a sudden goes off after dark it can cause the chickens to not get into the hen house to roost before dusk.

2) You can chose not to use artificial light and give the chickens a well deserved break during the winter - you will get less eggs. Now, we put in lots of windows, including the plastic sun stuff around the top of our coop and we didn't see a big reduction in egg production through the winter.

It's a personal choice but you definitely want to have windows in your coop whether you chose to add light in the winter or not.

The chickens will be happier with windows and you can get air flow through the coop on hot summer days.

 

[can you hear me now?]

Thank you very much. I thought that was the problem with the rhode island red i have, for laying but i wasn't sure since i have never raised chickens before. I am a city boy and trying to convert.

 

[Chirpy]

Oh! We love city boys and girls who are trying to convert. Just stick around here and we'll help you 'come to the chicken side'!!