Do you need a light in the coop?

[digitS']

The chicken evolved in an environment at no further than 30° North. Most wild chickens live closer to the equator - both north and south of that line. Natural means 11 to 13 hour days, year-around.

Of course, they did not evolve indoors.

Selective breeding over the last few centuries and especially the last 100 years boosted the egg production of a wild chicken (less than 20 eggs) to well over 200 in the modern layer. They are now "built" for egg production but still "geared" to their natural environment.

Steve

 

[SimplyForties]

digitS' :

Natural means 11 to 13 hour days, year-around.

Okay then I'll retract "natural" and say I'm raising my chickens the way my grandmother in Missouri did. No muss, no fuss. They free-range during the day, have shelter at night. They get table scraps and what they can scrounge up outdoors plus some chicken feed.

No a/c or misters in the summer and no heat or extra light in the winter. I'm sure I don't get as many eggs that way but we seem to manage.

 

[svalentine]

I'm not really worried about egg production at this point with 2 mos olds. I just don't know if they need a light on in the coop overnight. It isn't necessary in the south at this time of year for heat. I thought dark meant they'd go in and go to sleep. But without a light, they won't go in. They settle down outside. Which isn't the preferred overnight location.
Do they need retraining from months in a lit brooder box? Or do they need a low watt bulb so they can see to get around?
Help!

 

[MareeZoCool]

I don't have any lights in my coop, never have. I try to get everyone in at dusk, so lights aren't needed.

 

[svalentine]

That would be nice. But what if they don't cooperate!

 

[PhilErvin]

No need for light in my coop. Once they're in for the night I don't go out there.

 

[gritsar]

The other choice of course is to build a coop that takes advantage of all the natural light available. I have two large windows in my coop - one is 4'H x 8'L, one is 4'H x approx. 5' L.
No artificial light in my coop and the girls lay just fine.
If I need to go out there at night, I figure that's what flashlights are for.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Have any of the touchlights handy. Battery operated, usually round like the moon and you press on the center of them to turn them on, those sort of lights. You can put one on in the coop a little before dusk and turn it off after everyone's settled inside.
If something like that doesn't work, I'd suggest locking them in the coop for a week with no access to the outside to retrain their little brains.

 

[Swampwood]

Some of you might find this useful.. solar light

http://www.harborfreight.com/general-merch/lighting/solar-shed-light-95573.html

 

[PressOn]

Now that I am dropping below 14 hour/ day I have decided add lights to the coop. I would not want to do a timer because the sun up sun down time is always changing. I did not want to run a light censored light with and extension cord because of the hassle and I do not want the light on whenever it is dark. I choose to do a solar light and logged on today to see if anyone has done the same.

Swampwood, did it work well for you last year? Ironically I bought mine at Harbor freight as well.

The biggest downfall that I can see with my plan is keeping the snow off it in the winter.

I think the chickens are much better off without a heated lamp. I do not want to cause difficulties to their cold weather adapting. Not to mention the required electricity.

Solar lights, and winter rye free ranging is my winter plan. Plus peas for late winter.