Duck house lighting (not for eggs)

[thumper650]

I'm building an 8x4 house for my 2 pekin drakes, and hope to add a few more eventually. I'm curious of I should put any lighting inside. I was thinking solar powered ones that would be on for a while after dusk. In winter they might like light since it's dark for so long here in the Northeast. Everything I search for talks about egg production, but I did find out Home Depot sells night lights shaped like ducks!
I feel bad for my boys in the dark, what if they want to read or play cards or something?

 

[The Moonshiner]

You can give them a light if it makes you feel better but they don't need it and won't show any appreciation for one.
Heck mine don't even want a coop. Mine free range and have several options but never use one except to lay sometimes.
They prefer to sleep anywhere out in the yard.
They love rain and don't seem to mind snow so they don't even take shelter in bad weather.
Of course mine are hillbilly ducks so they can bearly read and card games always end up in a fight so I don't have to worry about those needs.
Mine run the yard half the night out muddin, skinny dippin and cow tippin so maybe its just mine that don't mind the dark because it doesn't interfere with their activities.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have lighting in my houses but don't leave it on for them after they go in for the night. They all just cuddle down into the shaving and go to sleep. After their busy day of running amuck here in the mountains.

I have a question for @The Moonshiner how many do you lose to predators since you don't lock them up at night?

 

[The Moonshiner]

I have lighting in my houses but don't leave it on for them after they go in for the night. They all just cuddle down into the shaving and go to sleep. After their busy day of running amuck here in the mountains.

I have a question for @The Moonshiner how many do you lose to predators since you don't lock them up at night?

Not many. We lost about 6 or 7 juveniles a couple years ago to an owl. I don't have much defense towards raptors and of course you can't kill or trap them.
My mistake was listening when everyone said coon since it was just heads missing.
I lost one a night while trying to go on the offensive towards coons.
I finally caught it in the act a few days in.
Lost an adult call few months back and before that two adults about 4 years ago to neighbors dog.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's amazing if I didn't lock mine up every night they'd be gone in a week.

None of your birds sleep inside a coop? I see you have quiet a few too.

 

[The Moonshiner]

No. I don't have any coop that even has a door to close.
Half the year I've got several breeding pens going with a small coop or coop like shelter but they don't get locked in. Probably around half of them and almost all during winter run our fenced in yard. There isn't even a coop in the yard just various types of other animals shelters, barn, lean two, outhouse, doghouse.etc.
I just have too many to lock up. If I went by that 4' square rule I'd fill the barn, house and probably need another of each.
Two pieces of advice....
Get help before your hatching for fun turns into an addiction. Popping that incubator open and seeing all those chicks can be more addictive then crack. And chicks can add up quickly.
Which brings me to the second thing. Forget the math you learned in school and learn chicken math.
1 + 3 can = 50 in a month of luck.
Yes I have a few (hundred) birds.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

You can give them a light if it makes you feel better but they don't need it and won't show any appreciation for one.
Heck mine don't even want a coop. Mine free range and have several options but never use one except to lay sometimes.
They prefer to sleep anywhere out in the yard.
They love rain and don't seem to mind snow so they don't even take shelter in bad weather.
Of course mine are hillbilly ducks so they can bearly read and card games always end up in a fight so I don't have to worry about those needs.
Mine run the yard half the night out muddin, skinny dippin and cow tippin so maybe its just mine that don't mind the dark because it doesn't interfere with their activities.

 

[thumper650]

Mine run the yard half the night out muddin, skinny dippin and cow tippin so maybe its just mine that don't mind the dark because it doesn't interfere with their activities.

My duckie's hillbilly cousins! My boys would love to cow tip, and run crazy all night! They slept out in a snow storm one night. I guess they don't need a light, and ill return their flat screen tv.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mine would just be happy with all the mealworms they can eat they have expensive taste.

I guess when you have so many if you lose a few here and there it doesn't matter so much although saying that I was out late yesterday looking for my OEGB who has decided to nest somewhere besides her coop. Lil stinker.

@The Moonshiner very reason I don't have a bator.

 

[CarleeAnn]

My two girls won’t go into their coop unless the light is on! I let them forage until there’s no more blue in the sky, but I leave the coop door open with a flood light inside it. Once they waddle in though, off goes the light and they snuggle into bed!

The only time I left the light on with them inside is when I first introduced them to their new coop and once again when it was really stormy.