Flouresent Lighting

[Ajayk]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I just couldn't find it.

I am looking to get a head start on setting up the lighting system for my chickens and I want to go with fluorescent due to the cost of Hydro, I am an avid grower of produce and do start seedlings indoor under a few 6500 kelvin lights which give off light like the sun. My little grow area gets up to 25-30 degrees during the day. I am wondering if anyone here has used this lighting before or could recommend another fluorescent type light with a kelvin rating.

thanks

 

[10AcreChick]

Why do you need lights? For heat or just to light the chickenhouse? Most chickens can withstand really cold temperatures as long as they have fresh thawed-out water. If it's for a brooder, I would recommend using a heating pad, not heated lighting. They don't need the light and it is a huge fire hazard.

 

[Ajayk]

makes sense...thanks

I cant tell you the amount of times I have been told that I need heat when the temps drop below -15.

Temps can drop to -35

 

[10AcreChick]

Well, I can only tell you what I have experienced. Maybe someone from a colder climate will chime in here soon, but in Central Missouri it doesn't get much below -10 in the dead of winter. If it did, I might think about supplementing with a very carefully hung heat lamp for a couple nights. My chickens do great in the winter. Last year, I hung a red heat lamp and it fell and almost burned the whole thing down. Luckily, I didn't lose any chickens and found it before the fire got too out of control. I only purchase cold hardy chickens.

As far as brooding goes, check out the Mama Heating Pad thread. It's the way to go.

 

[Ajayk]

my other concern was I heard that egg production becomes low in the winter due to the lack of extra daylight...I would like to be as good as possible.

thanks

 

[Ajayk]

Well, I can only tell you what I have experienced. Maybe someone from a colder climate will chime in here soon, but in Central Missouri it doesn't get much below -10 in the dead of winter. If it did, I might think about supplementing with a very carefully hung heat lamp for a couple nights. My chickens do great in the winter. Last year, I hung a red heat lamp and it fell and almost burned the whole thing down. Luckily, I didn't lose any chickens and found it before the fire got too out of control. I only purchase cold hardy chickens.

As far as brooding goes, check out the Mama Heating Pad thread. It's the way to go.

thanks...I would actually do a proper electrical set up and prefer not to hang a light more of screw the bulb in setup. You can get 6500k lights that are not tube lights.

 

[10AcreChick]

my other concern was I heard that egg production becomes low in the winter due to the lack of extra daylight...I would like to be as good as possible.

thanks

My first winter I used supplemental lighting to trick them into a fourteen hour day for more laying. Their egg production didn't barely drop at all and I thought that was great! But the next spring and summer, when they were 1 year old, they laid almost no eggs. It was so frustrating. So now I do not use supplemental lighting in the winter, I think they need the break in order to lay well the rest of the year. I don't really know, just my best guess.

 

[BruceAZ]

my other concern was I heard that egg production becomes low in the winter due to the lack of extra daylight...I would like to be as good as possible.

thanks

true.. the chickens will require around 14 hour of daylight per day to lay their eggs.. i don't think it's a problem here in AZ

this is a personal choice

since some owners will allow their chickens to rest from laying during the winter while others want to provide lights right in the coop (just make sure you set it on a timer)

instead of CFL.. why not use LED? it has more blue light and will block melatonin.. so pretty much you will be awake for a lot longer.. it will probably work the same way for chickens

costco has a box of 10 LED bulbs daylight 5000k use only 9W (60W equivalent) for $20.. so about $2 a bulb

or they also have 10 LED bulbs daylight 5000k use only 14.5W (100W equivalent) for $50.. so about $5 a bulb

i have the pictures on my phone.. but i don't know if i can upload it here. just check the local store

 

[Ajayk]

Hey thanks for the great tip info. I will look at costco.

any Canadians have suggestions also?

What do you do to get through the winter with your chickens?

 

[BruceAZ]

Hey thanks for the great tip info. I will look at costco.

any Canadians have suggestions also?

What do you do to get through the winter with your chickens?

led bulbs are good as a light source and keeping your chicken awake.. but don't use them as a source of heat to keep your chickens warm during the winter though.. since they don't produce as much heat as incandescents or cfl bulbs..

i uploaded the pictures of the led bulbs i mentioned for another thread.. so i'll just link them in so you can see what they look like


60W (use 9W) -- 10 pack $19.99
100W (use 14W) - 10 pack $49.99
65W (use 9.5W) - 8 pack $37.99