Do chickens need sun?

[PiggyChick]

I am planning on getting chickens in the next month or two. I'm definitely a newbie and trying to learn as much as i can so my chickens succeed!

Most of my property is in the woods, with tons of trees, so the chickens won't get much sun (if any). Is that going to be an issue for egg laying?

Also, is it best to have the chicken run covered with a roof to protect the run when it rains? Or does it not really matter....

Thanks!

 

[Chickenchip]

I have the same questions,

 

[GC-Raptor]

Chickens love to dust bathe in the sun. The sun turns the oils in their feathers into vitamin D. When they preen, they consume some of the oils.
I have a hardwood tree in the 500 square foot pen. The tree shades the coop and parts of the pen in the warm months and allows the sun to shine through in the cold months, when the leaves fall. . My pen is open, they stay under the raised coop in moderate rain or snow. GC