enough light for chickens

[ange]

i am concerned about my chickens having enough light, so my question is, if the chickens are in a coop or run, and the coop is enclosed, with woodd, due to weather conditions, real nice, with nesting and clean and window, large onE, THEN IS THAT CONSIDERED ENOUGH LIGHT theynneed to be housed. but thenrun is roofed but chicken wire rest of way

 

[CityChook]

I have two large windows in my coop and the run is roofed and on the north side, so it is very shady. If the sun's not out, it's still pretty dark in my coop. Not dark like it would be without any windows, but you know what I mean. My girls laid last winter with no supplemental light, but wouldn't do it this winter, so now they have a light as well. This has worked for me at least.

 

[norcal]

Quote:
Interesting. Was last winter their first winter laying? This is my girls first winter and they are laying pretty good. Got 5 from 7 yesterday. Am wondering about next winter.

 

[CityChook]

I'm certainly no expert, but I think it's because they were nice and young last year. Last winter was their first (they began laying in November '08). They are still laying really well this winter (3 or 4 a day from 4 chickens), but not without supplemental light. Maybe it's just the difference in the weather from last year to this... don't know. We are very cold here in MN, but sunny quite a lot of the time.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

my coop has no windows, and therefore recieves a light on a Timer. Please remember that chickens lay best with 14 hours of light. Therefore in winter when the daylight is less than this you should provide light (if you want them to continue to lay).
The recommended brightness is: if you can read a newspaper it is bright enough.

my light bulb changes with the seasons.....lower in the Summer and a bit brighter in the winter.
I also have a heat lamp on a Thermocube as my winter temps are extremely cold.

My chickens play outside at -30F, and come in to a warm coop.

But at -40F they don't venture past the pop door.