Does lighting outside the coop interfere with chickens' sleep?

[chickenpotter]

I am new at chicken keeping. This is my first flock raised from day old chicks. They are 20 weeks old. They are in a nice coop with windows that I have to keep open as we live in the South and it is very hot and humid here in the summer. We have an exterior security light on an out building that shines into the front windows. I try to position one of the window shutters to block out most of the light, but there is still light getting into the coop. Will this interfere with the chickens' sleep cycle? Someone else in BYC said he put a camera in his coop ( that had lighting) and said the chickens woke up periodically. He took the light out and then observed that they slept all night.
Should I install a motion detector light so that the light will be off unless we have a problem? I am interested in creating an optimum environment for my birds.

Thanks in advance for suggestions!

 

[sjturner79]

The chooks will certainly sleep better if you turn off the light and swap to a sensor light, however you will get better laying through winter if you don't. It depends wether health or egg production is more important to you.

 

[chickenpotter]

The chooks will certainly sleep better if you turn off the light and swap to a sensor light, however you will get better laying through winter if you don't. It depends wether health or egg production is more important to you.

Thanks for your quick response. I think I'll go to the sensor light outside and then put a "day extender" light on a timer in the coop once the days get shorter. Best of both!