Do winter laying breeds need coop light?

[fatcatx]

I tried to find the answer to this on other threads but came up empty-handed.

When picking out chicks this year I specifically chose breeds that were noted as winter layers (Sussex, Deleware, etc.) We had planned on running a light to the coop but I'm wondering if that is even necessary with these breeds? How well do they lay in winter light conditions? I'd rather skip the light if they will still give us a couple of eggs each week without it.

 

[DraigAthar]

Breeds that are touted as winter layers with lay through the winter without supplemental light, but usually won't lay as many eggs as they would in summer day hours. I've done it both ways - given them supplemental light all winter, and left them through a winter without any extra light. My winter layers kept going without the light, but each hen seemed to lay only once or twice a week, tops. I think a few of them stopped entirely when the weather got very cold, but started back up again very early in the spring. If they go into molt, they stop laying, too.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
I see you are in lovely Norcal, so maybe it doesn't freeze where you are. I have Light Sussex and they lay all winter long. I do use a 60 watt light to keep the combs from freezing as it is painful for the birds, if they do. Birds don't need much light to keep them laying in the winter. I think a 20 to 40 watt light in a 10x10 coop will suffice. I do use a solar floodlight ....mounted outside the window and shining in to let the birds see year other dimly in the night when I don't use the inside light. Might try that. no cord needed. Mine gives off about 10-20 watts of light. I replace it every 2 years because the LED light burns out and I don't know how to replace it.
Best,
Karen in western PA, USA

 

[fatcatx]

Thank you both!
Is the reduced light the only reason they stop laying or does the cold play a significant part? (Presumably it is coldest when the days are the shortest.) Cold should not be an issue here. We rarely go below 30 degrees at night and even then it is not for extended time periods - 1 to 3 days at a time. It sounds like we will probably still get an egg or two from them without the light

.
I guess we'll try it without the light and see what happens.

I like the solar light idea! I will be giving that a try.

 

[3riverschick]

Quote: usually it is the shorter daylight which lowers the egg production in the winter. Some folk put timers on their light just for several hours a day to lengthen the daylight to what it would be like in egg season. I don't know if you could put a timer on a solar light. Might be worth checking out. I don't use timers here because when the days are that short, it is also so cold I need it for the comb's sake.
Best,
Karen

 

[DraigAthar]

I live in NH, we frequently get winter nights down below minus 25 F, and I still don't use supplemental heat. I do raise Dominiques, which are a rose comb breed so much less danger of frostbite than straight comb breeds. But generally speaking if you have a well built coop with proper winter ventilation to prevent moist cold air around the chickens' heads, they don't need supplemental heat in the winter at all. In fact, in our climate we're better off not heating the coop at all for biological reasons. If the chickens don't get exposed to the cold temps, their bodies don't adjust to the cold. Then if we have a power outage in the dead of winter (which we frequently do) and they aren't properly adjusted to the cold, they are in more danger than if we'd just left with without heat the whole time.

That said, Karen is right, it may be a moot point for you in NoCal. Supplemental light is probably purely an egg laying decision for you. If you don't mind a drop in production of the winter, don't light them. But if you want them to keep up high production, light them. Have fun!