Do you use supplemental lighting?

[Bob 1313]

Agree with giving the birds some well earned time off. We turn on lights during regular daylight hours to brighten it up a bit, (LED Daylight), and tune the radio to NPR News, for their education, but at sundown it all gets turned off. Figure that the voices coming from the radio might also help deter predators when we are away.

 

[SillyMissLily]

I have put my yes vote on this, with a caveat...

Lights only come on after I have given the hens time to finish their fall molt. They have their natural break in laying to put energy into new down coats, but by mid-winter it's time to start earning your keep again.

I also don't start too early with the lights as I have to contend with some bitter cold here in the mountains: most days never get above freezing (nights as low as -20 to -30) and why encourage egg production when half will freeze before I can get to them?

You have to decide for yourself, and I also agree with everything aart said!

 

[chickencoop57]

From advise from this forum I put lights in my coop and it seems to help. Actually it just 2 heat Lamps. I have a small coop, 4'x8'x8'. Out of my 12 hens I'll get 6-12 eggs a day, this time of year.

 

[chickencoop57]

Oh and by the way, I don't believe in giving them a break. Theyre doing the job I bought them for.

 

[mrs3rrl]

I use a 100 watt bulb just to keep everything from freezing solid. It's mounted on the wall, almost at the ceiling. I also have a heating pad under the 5 gallon waterer to keep it from freezing solid. We don't have electricity installed in the coop. We run a 100' electrical cord out there to support the heating elements during the winter.

 

[ltrentin]

We use supplemental lighting. We are in WI and get some pretty cold days and nights. The bonus eggs are nice but the extra light source also provides extra heat for them. We do not go crazy with # of hours - 3 hours so off by 7ish

 

[knurse1]

Wondering how many of us use supplemental lighting when the days get shorter...

Do you use supplemental light? And comment below why or why not

Hoping to gain some knowledge from this because everyday I think we all learn a little more

We use the light for about 30 minutes just to make sure that get in the roost at night.

 

[FortCluck]

We use the light for about 30 minutes just to make sure that get in the roost at night.

We have solar lights in front of our coop and my husband goes out with a flashlight to check to make sure everyone in the coop when he shuts the door.

 

[aart]

Sounds like a few folks don't know what 'supplemental lighting' actually means.

 

[FortCluck]

Sounds like a few folks don't know what 'supplemental lighting' actually means.

It's light to extend their day... Correct? It's used to increase egg production. Kind of like plants... You can use supplemental lighting on them to increase their production.

My solar lights don't count and neither do lights that don't extend their day. Mine are to make sure they can see at night and my ducks like to party till 11 pm and need them to see their sleep area.