Do you use lights in hen house?

[woodmort]

I've always used them from about midSeptember to midApril. I use a single "Lite stick" florescent on a duel timer that goes on at 6 am, off at 9 and then on at 5pm off at 9. Figure this gives them 15 hrs of light to do their thing. I've noticed that this does not preclude their sleeping as, usually, they tuck themselves in on the roost before it goes off at night--never checked on them in the morning but there is usually eggs in the nests when I get around to making my morning visit.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I have chosen not to use lighting because I don't want to burn out my hens. I would prefer that they lay a bit less each year but more years.

I don't know how much it adds or subtracts to their laying life by using them or not using them. We just choose to not use them. Of course, we don't have the extreme cold weather here that also contributes to hens laying less.

 

[bigoakhunter]

I do use a light here in Michigan, as we get down to about 9 hours of light in the winter. I only use light from Nov. to March.

I prefer to add the light in morning so they can naturally go to roost in evening.

 

[woodmort]

I've never had a problem getting the hens in after the lights come on--they go in at dusk regardless. Usually I'll go down to shut them up after dark and look in and make a body count--they're all up on the roost, light or no light.