Does fluorescent light work to extend laying?

[shandiane78]

I use a light on a timer that comes on for a couple hours in the morning. In the past, this has worked to keep the girls laying. Last time the bulb burned out, I replaced it with a compact fluorescent bulb, and laying seems to have dropped off sharply since then. Do you think it's just a coincidence, or does the quality of light have anything to do with it?

Thanks!
Shannon

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

The wattage might be the problem.

 

[drumstick diva]

I don't know about the effects of fluorescent light on laying hens but, I hybridize blooming plants and use one cool white fluorescent tube and one warm white(peach-pinkish color) and it fools them into thinking its sunlight. If you can't get warm white - I use the Gro-lux wide spectrum bulbs. I have the 4 foot -40 watt tubes and they are on 12 hours a day. But depending on the size of your coop you probably could use less. The tubes last a long time and produce some heat which is nice for plants or chickens.

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

I'm using 4 sets of LED White Christmas Lights...4am to 8am. Seems to have helped...they had dropped down to 12 eggs a day and are not back up to 16-19/day.

 

[woodmort]

I have used a GE Bright Stick which is a 20w florescent light for 20 or so years and egg production has remained high. Is on a timer that comes on at 5 am off at 9 then on again at 4 pm and off at 8.

 

[RIBill]

Light output from cfl bulbs is highly sensitive to temperature. Also, after about 6 months of use the quality of the light drops. One other thing I have read is that really bright light can make chickens more stressed. I do use a cfl in my coop and my birds are laying well. I used a grow light version, starting about a month ago and it really hasn't been that cold here until yesterday. As such, things may change in the near future. I'm thinking LED is the way to go. They sell one at Home Depot which is both bright and difuse. Costs about $25 though.

 

[shandiane78]

Thanks for the replies! I'm going on vacation for a week, so I'll see how it goes while I'm gone. (My mom is chicken-sitting.)

If laying is still poor, maybe I'll try an incandescent bulb again and see if it improves. It has gotten kind of cold here recently (30s and 40s), so even though the fluorescent bulb is supposed to put out light equal to a 60w incandescent, maybe it's not because of the temp. I didn't think about how temp might affect the fluorescent bulb.

Thanks!
Shannon