Days are getting shorter. When to start light in coop.

[nuchickontheblock]

Thanks all, for your input and wisdom. Looking for more opinions.

 

[LittleRooster]

Thanks for this thread. I was just wondering the same thing. I plan to install a new light and timer this weekend and wondered when I should start it up. It is noticeably darker in the morning doing my chores, and thankfully a bit cooler! I live in the Mid-Atlantic so it won't get really cold here for awhile but all my girls molted and stopped laying at the same time last year and I pretty much had no eggs all winter...I had to BUY eggs! I don't want to push them and don't expect as many eggs over the winter, but I'd at least like some for myself, even if my co-workers and neighbors will have to resort to buying from the store!

- Kitty, Little Rooster Croft

 

[ktritchler]

These post have been of great help. I live in Northeast Ohio. Should I supplement heat as well as light in my coop?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
Ha, that is a pocketbook decision. We have a barn. The electric bill in winter for the house alone is enough to gag!!! No way I can heat the barn or spend any more than I already am heating the water dishes. Egg prices we can charge locally simply won't allow it.

I keep only cold hardy breeds for this reason.

 

[ktritchler]

I was thinking more of just a heat lamp on a timer....?

 

[meekasmom]

I have my light on a photocell so it comes on acording to how dark it is and goes off at 9 pm. I used a flat heated kennel mat on the floor that only comes on if it's below 32 degress and shuts off at 40 degrees. I also have a heated waterer that does the same. I didn't noticedvery much increase on the electric bill. I do have a very small coop though (4' x4')

 

[nuchickontheblock]

We live in Maine and last winter did not have an insulated coop or add any heat. We had a heater for the waterer that went on when it was below 32 degrees and the girls did fine. When we built our larger coop this year, we considered adding insulation or heat, but after reading most of the threads here that discuss that, we decided not to do either. We have a cold hardy breed and they should be fine again this year.
They'll get a little thicker feathers and huddle if it's really chilly.

 

[hispoptart]

Quote:
I looked up the pad, and can't seem to find one that only comes on at a certain temp, can you please tell me what one you have?

 

[ChickenLove123]

Fred's Hens :

Add the light in the early morning. Have it come on at 5 am. Set it go off at 4:30 pm. The reason for doing this is that as the sun sets earlier and earlier, the day will come when darkness will set in 5:30, at it's worst. If you set the cut off in the evening to 7 pm, it will snap off and plunge them into darkness unexpectedly and they won't be able to get to their roosts. Just my $.02

I am totally with Fred on this one! I originally was going to add light, and my friend gave me this same advice. It makes sense to not add artificial light at the end of the day so they can rely on their instincts to put themselves to bed as it gets dark outside. They cannot see well at all in the dark and IMO it'd be sad to abruptly "plunge them into darkness" as Fred says (I do respect the choice of others to do what makes sense to them, though).

I am new to this, but I also plan to rotate my flock, adding new pullets every year so I always have layers throughout the winter regardless of how much light there is outside.​