Heat lamp and Normal Lighting during winter months

[NorthernChick1]

I've been reading many different article or lighting and I haven't found anything specific to my question. Can you run a red heat lamp all winter long and also have a regular light bulb running 14hrs a day to keep egg laying productivity? Or will this stress them out? i have 8, 18 week old chickens and 4, 16 week old silkies as well as two ducks housing all together and i was wondering if i can do this? They haven't started laying yet.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

The red heat lamp will still count as lighting... if my chick raising experience has anything to say about it. So that would essentially be 24 hour lighting... which I would think COULD add some stress.

You can consider the ones that don't emit light, a heating pad (with passive auto shut off), or they have heating panels that don't put out light and are supposed to be fire safe.

I personally would skip the heat lamp. Also your regular light only needs to run during the dark hours to extend your daylight to 14 hours total is my understanding.

Good luck, hope your eggs arrive soon.

 

[Flock In Texas]

I don’t need to heat my coop, but I run a light inside the coop until 9 pm through the Winter. They slowed production a little, but never stopped.

 

[NorthernChick1]

I don’t need to heat my coop, but I run a light inside the coop until 9 pm through the Winter. They slowed production a little, but never stopped.

Thanks, where im from the winter average is abour -25 to -30 Celsius to im a little iffy about not giving them heat

 

[jthornton]

The biggest thing they need is ventilation to allow the moisture to escape. Moist air will cause frostbite on combs and waddles.

Extra light should be added to the morning and natural sunset used so they can find their way to the roost.

Have a look at the Woods coop which was designed for the north east cold winters.

JT

 

[aart]

You need white light to prolong winter laying.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

For heat I'd consider a flat panel type heater rather than a heat lamp,
just because of fire danger.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Can you run a red heat lamp all winter long and also have a regular light bulb running 14hrs a day to keep egg laying productivity?

@jthornton Good post.
You are going to find egg production will slack off during the winter regardless even with extra lightning (the extra lightning will help.) You will be better off keeping your water thawed in my opinion rather than heating you coop as long as you have a cold hardy breed of bird.
I have egg production all year long with no lighting. There are fewer eggs granted yet the egg production of a hen is a finite resource. The less eggs laid in winter months the less eggs are likely to crack and freeze is my outlook.