Do I need a light for my chicken coop?

[LikeTurkeys]

It's entering fall. I'm wondering if I need a light to keep my chickens laying. This is my first year with chickens and so far only one has started. She was laying for a week straight, and then stopped. It's been 3 days without eggs (although this could be completely unrelated). Do I need to get a light for my chicken coop? Will they lay consistently without one? Thanks in advance.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Where are you? Location wise. You can put a light in the coop to keep them laying but it is a fire hazard and it makes them lay not as long.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

I am in Southern California. I have not heard that it makes them lay not as long, thanks for the information! Do they produce less eggs in their lives with the light or without it overall?

 

[True Patriot]

To keep laying they need about 14 hours of light each day. She could be molting which will reduce egg production also. Adding light will help but it can lead to other things. Like not laying as long( laying lifespan). Personally, I feel that their systems deserve a break, laying takes a lot of energy and resources from their body. I do have lighting in my coop but it's used for cleaning and maintenance rather than production.
I do disagree with the common idea that having lights is a fire hazard. We all have lighting in our homes and for the most part, were not all going up in flames. Properly installed and maintained electric appliances are not the Boogeyman. It's faulty installation or improper use that leads to problems. As long as you choose items that are designed for the intended use there's little risk.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

With Socal no light is needed as it may be too hot. I think you might be in the molting stage as you guys will have eggs for a little bit longer. They will lay in January again or February. They lay year round so they won't have many years. It is best to go without as they will stretch their years.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

To keep laying they need about 14 hours of light each day. She could be molting which will reduce egg production also. Adding light will help but it can lead to other things. Like not laying as long( laying lifespan). Personally, I feel that their systems deserve a break, laying takes a lot of energy and resources from their body. I do have lighting in my coop but it's used for cleaning and maintenance rather than production.
I do disagree with the common idea that having lights is a fire hazard. We all have lighting in our homes and for the most part, were not all going up in flames. Properly installed and maintained electric appliances are not the Boogeyman. It's faulty installation or improper use that leads to problems. As long as you choose items that are designed for the intended use there's little risk.

Toche

 

[arrowti]

Basically: chickens do not have an infinite number of eggs they can lay (just like humans!) When you have a light on through the short-daylight season it means they're laying eggs when they normally would not, which means they deplete their eggs in less years than if they slowed down during these slow seasons. If you have chickens with year-round laying and lighting accommodations you will (generally) need to add more chickens more often to make up for their eventual slow down as they get down to their lower number of eggs.

They can only produce as many eggs as they have "ovum". They can't make more once they've laid all they can.

So really it's up to you. Year round good supply of eggs and adding more chickens every couple of years - which you may have to do anyway, all chickens lay differently and some have more "potential eggs" than others.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Also Leghorns will lay year round

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Okay, thank you for the replies. My chicken is a Rhode Island Red. From my understanding then, whether with the light or without, they will lay the same overall in their lives. Only with one I get a continuous stream of eggs, but a shorter overall laying time and with the other I get a longer overall laying time, but with breaks in between. Besides the Rhode Island Red, I have 4 buff orpingtons who have not started laying yet. I plan on getting leghorns next spring. I think I may go with the light because I want a more continuous stream of eggs, and I'll just replace the older ones with young ones in a few years. The Rhode Island Red does not appear to be molting, but then I have inexperienced eyes.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Lighting in winter can give you more production out of your hens. The problem is if it's done incorrectly it can mess them up more. It can also cause out of season molts, and can affect the production for the rest of the season. Generally you see your best production in early spring under increasing daylight. The extra lighting is attempting to mimic that, and it should be increased slowly over many weeks. I haven't done it but I would assume it would affect that surge in spring you normally see without lighting.

Hens don't run out of ovum. They are born with more ovum than they will ever lay. Breeds and breeding, as well as feeding will determine a hens reproduction. Some breeds burn out early due to it being so taxing on their systems to produce so many eggs and that those hens often are prone to reproductive cancers.

A Rhode island red should lay for many years. Her production will fall off each season. I believe with extra lighting you will see about the same amount of eggs but just in a different time of year.

Feeding correctly will help you hens stay fit enough and have enough energy to produce eggs. Fat hens don't lay very well. So keep extra limited. Hens need protein to produce eggs, and grow feathers.

Giving birds room to move and exercise properly can help too keep them from getting fat, and keep them productive longer.