DH wants to light the chickens, I don't want to...

[chickensducks&agoose]

I think that the chickens deserve the break they take every year from Thanksgiving-Groundhog day... DH just came back from Afghanistan with a craving for eggs... we're getting an egg (yes, one) every other day from 23 hens. The youngest 4 were born in June, but the others are either from April, or the april before, so they are old enough... They've had a month off from laying already, how long is long enough? I want happy healthy hens who are going to lay for a long time.

 

[jbrown_14105]

Good afternoon,
Have you tried a timer and a 60 watt light before dawn?
2-3 hours of light before dawn helps with my "girls" in egg production.
Jim Brown
Lockport NY

 

[sourland]

I got a mental image of your husband out there with charcoal lighter and match preparing to "light" the chickens.

 

[justbugged]

 

[woodmort]

I don't blame your husband--I'd light a few if you have 23 first-year hens and are getting only one egg a day. Even without extra daylight they should be doing better than that--I'd say give them an extra couple of hours of light in the morning. Besides, if he's just back from Afghanistan he deserves a few fresh eggs--if he were closer I'd be glad to supply them from my lighted chickens. BTW, I'm not so sure they need a 3 month break from laying anyway--mine never get one and they do fine.

 

[justbugged]

I have a light on with a timer. I have not seen any problems with that little extra light. If you consider that hens in southern states and countries to the south have more light than we do in the northern states. Then if that extra light at this time of year was harmful, one would have assume that the southern chickens would not be as healthy as the northern chickens. Since that isn't true, I just can't see the harm in a little extra light.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

Quote:
well, when he discovered that they'd been using a shelf in his toolshed as a roost, and his socket set was caked with poo, that was certainly a possibility!

I told him that we can get a timer, and can add some light to their mornings, but my feeling is that it's not so good for them to lay, lay, lay, without a good break... am I nuts?

 

[woodmort]

chickensducks&agoose :

I told him that we can get a timer, and can add some light to their mornings, but my feeling is that it's not so good for them to lay, lay, lay, without a good break... am I nuts?

We're all nuts to one degree or another or we'd be buying our eggs at the store but your chickens are going to be ok. When they decide they have laid too much, they'll go into moult and quit for a while.​

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

Awesome. Thanks! I'll send him out to get a timer... what kind of timer do you use?

 

[woodmort]

chickensducks&agoose :

Awesome. Thanks! I'll send him out to get a timer... what kind of timer do you use?

Lowe's has a lot of timers now for Christmas lights. I just picked up a UTILITECH 0224879--works for 48 hrs worth of on/off setting but there are no pins that can get lost.​