Extending daylight in NW Washington

[cballiu]

I live on the Olympic penisula in Washington and we are losing a lot of daylight right now. My chickens will be 6 months old this month and haven't started laying. I'm concerned that with the really short days, they won't lay much when they do start. I don't have electricity to my coop and I don't think there's enough UV or sun to operative a solar light. What are my options? I can run an extension cord to the coop if necessary but was thinking about a battery-operated lantern. How much light do I actually need for the girls?

 

[Big Doggie]

I live on the Olympic penisula in Washington and we are losing a lot of daylight right now. My chickens will be 6 months old this month and haven't started laying. I'm concerned that with the really short days, they won't lay much when they do start. I don't have electricity to my coop and I don't think there's enough UV or sun to operative a solar light. What are my options? I can run an extension cord to the coop if necessary but was thinking about a battery-operated lantern. How much light do I actually need for the girls?

Some people opt to give the pullets a natural environment. Adding light could add stress to their bodies.

 

[GC-Raptor]

How much light do I actually need for the girls?

Depends on the size of coop.
My small coops are 18 and 22.5 square feet.
I use a 250 lumens bulb in each.
A medium size coop 25 to 50 square feet would need a 450 lumens bulb.
If your coop is larger, multiple bulbs 450 lumens evenly spaced would be needed.
A warm spectrum bulb 2700 to 3000 Kelvin works best.
13 hours of light per day minimum from my experience. 15 hours max. Chickens do need sleep. GC
ETA; I turn lights on at 5 am daily. I don't add light after sunset, that's how I know egg production slows down with less than 13 hours. Earliest sunset here is 4:19 on December 8.

 

[Alaskan]

I live on the Olympic penisula in Washington and we are losing a lot of daylight right now. My chickens will be 6 months old this month and haven't started laying. I'm concerned that with the really short days, they won't lay much when they do start. I don't have electricity to my coop and I don't think there's enough UV or sun to operative a solar light. What are my options? I can run an extension cord to the coop if necessary but was thinking about a battery-operated lantern. How much light do I actually need for the girls?

What breeds do you have?

I think some supplemental light is great. I don't think supplemental light would be stressful with them, even if you added enough light to help them to start laying... because from what I understand of your corner of the world... it doesn't get that cold there.

If you start them laying when it is below 0F, yes, that is stressful.

BUT... since you have no electric out there... and even perfect extension cords are fire hazards, it might be easiest to just sit and wait.

If you wait... they will probably start laying mid to late January.

 

[aart]

Do not use battery operated lighting, it'll get expensive....
..and the most important thing about supplemental light is consistency.
Should be done with a timer and AC power.

 

[Acre4Me]

Some people use a string of LED Christmas lights. This might draw a low enough power for a solar system to power it. However, you need to use a timer so the amount of light is consistent.

 

[cballiu]

What breeds do you have?

I think some supplemental light is great. I don't think supplemental light would be stressful with them, even if you added enough light to help them to start laying... because from what I understand of your corner of the world... it doesn't get that cold there.

If you start them laying when it is below 0F, yes, that is stressful.

BUT... since you have no electric out there... and even perfect extension cords are fire hazards, it might be easiest to just sit and wait.

If you wait... they will probably start laying mid to late January.

I have 3 Ameuricanas, 1 Welsummer and 4 Prairie bluebells.

 

[Alaskan]

I have 3 Ameuricanas, 1 Welsummer and 4 Prairie bluebells.

None of those breeds are super productive.... so without artificial light, probably will not lay until January or early February.