Dim light on in the coop all night

[Bobby Basham]

I don't keep them laying. I let them have the rest the lessened daylight hours give them. I think it's important for their bodies whether they're heritage layers or production. I'd prefer they give me longevity rather than burn out. I think it's cheaper in the long run. Raising chicks is expensive.

As far as a light in the coop, I have a .5 watt night light that shines behind the one door so no hens are directly exposed to the light. I have it on for the same reason I have night lights throughout my house. It's to be able to see enough to walk around without bumping into anything. I have it on for them so I don't have to turn on lights and disrupt them if I have to enter the coop at night...and so they have just enough light to be able to get back on a roost if they get knocked off.

I'm not into egg production, since my babies are only a week old, but it would be nice to have a small light in the coop to get the little knuckleheads to go into a dark coop at dusk until they catch on.

I also have a gazillion night lights throughout my huge house, because I'm a night-owl, whether watching TV or on the computer, listening to music etc. Sometimes, I don't go to bed until almost daylight.

If I had one of those lights, I would probably put some kind of colored paper/plexiglass around the lens to dim the brightness, and like the idea that it gradually dims.

I'm glad to know that there are small units out there, but was too lazy to look them up. It would suit my needs for the small coop that I'm building.

 

[Patinas]

I'm not into egg production, since my babies are only a week old, but it would be nice to have a small light in the coop to get the little knuckleheads to go into a dark coop at dusk until they catch on.

I had the opposite problem one evening about a month ago. I left the light on in my coop by accident and all the hens had gathered in the run but hadn't gone in the coop. I closed the gate to the run and turned off the light in the run but the next morning, it was clear they had slept outside the entire night!

I think what happened is the light in the coop scared them because I never leave it on at night for them. By the time I closed the run gate and turned off the light, it was dark enough that they were afraid to move so they just roosted in place. Next day I made sure the light was off at dusk and they all went in as they normally do.

My hens were 8 months old at the time and yours are young so light may encourage them to go in. You can also physically put them in the coop at night if necessary, turn off the light, and they will stay there because chickens don't move in the dark.