Hen's not Laying? Chickens Require 14+ hours of light to keep laying

[LoneCowboy]

Quote:
There is always a renagade flock that refuses to be stereotyped.

I think a lot depends on breed, location etc.

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

Quote:
We have decided to go without the "extra" light for the girls, who will be 21 weeks this Wednesday. I figure to let them go "au natural" and we will just not have fresh eggs til spring.
We have a solar light, but it really is not that bright. And getting up at 3 am to turn a light on is SO not gonna happen.

 

[welman]

Thanks for your reply! Nice etsy items too!

 

[joebryant]

Suggestion: Google the words ... sunrise sunset & name of your state and the first one showing on the page gives all the information you'll need this winter.

I Googled sunrise sunset Indiana and got this...
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=105

When I changed the month to January and the year to 2009 I got the following information. I am showing the first few days of next January, but all the days show on the web site:
Rising and setting times for the Sun
Length of day Solar noon
Date Sunrise Sunset This day Difference Time Altitude Distance
(106 km)
Jan 1, 2009 8:06 AM 5:31 PM 9h 25m 02s + 41s 12:48 PM 27.3° 147.096
Jan 2, 2009 8:06 AM 5:32 PM 9h 25m 47s + 45s 12:49 PM 27.4° 147.094
Jan 3, 2009 8:06 AM 5:33 PM 9h 26m 36s + 48s 12:49 PM 27.5° 147.093
Jan 4, 2009 8:06 AM 5:34 PM 9h 27m 28s + 52s 12:50 PM 27.6° 147.092
Jan 5, 2009 8:06 AM 5:34 PM 9h 28m 24s + 55s 12:50 PM 27.7° 147.093
Jan 6, 2009 8:06 AM 5:35 PM 9h 29m 23s + 59s 12:51 PM 27.8° 147.094

 

[momofdrew]

For NH Today we have 10 hours of day light but by next Sunday we will be down to 9 hours...My girls havent started to lay yet so I guess I will let them go Au natural this winter and hope for the best...Pam

 

[Chirpy]

Although LoneCowboy is completely correct with everything she's said. And, I'm not disagreeing with her using light, I may someday also, I did want to add the other side here.

At this point we've chosen to let our chickens go through winters without any additional lighting. As Rhett&SarahsMom also said: going 'au natural' can be beneficial to your hens. It gives their bodies a chance to rest and recharge for the upcoming year. Last year I had nine hens go through the winter with no extra light added. We averaged 3-6 eggs every day, with an occasional day of only two eggs and occasional day of 7 eggs.

One thing we did do to help continue getting eggs through the winter was to use clear plastic at the top of the coop so that all the available natural light was used to it's maximum. We used the plastic on the east, south and west sides, I have no scientific proof that it worked but we did get eggs all winter long.

Here's a picture to show the clear plastic:

It's certainly a personal decision on whether to add extra light or not... everybody needs to do what works best for them. If you need/want as many eggs as possible through winter then add the extra light (in the morning as stated), if you don't then don't mess with the light and let your hens have a break.

 

[carousel]

I have not used extra light with my chickens, and don't plan to.
I think it is okay for their system to take a break. I tried to pick breeds that at least some were known to be good winter layers. I have 6 hens that are of laying age 3 are molting. Yesterday I got 3 eggs

 

[momofdrew]

Chirpy that is a neat coop but what's with the kitty cat on the fence?? is she chicken friendly?

 

[Elly]

I have put on extra light, but only for 12 hours a day...coming on at 4:30am and shutting off at 4:30 pm...giving them about 1 hour to settle before it is dark ( since the time change). So far I have been getting the same amount of eggs and have just had three other girls start to lay in the past week. Should I just keep it at this lenght:/ of lighted period since it seems to be working for them?

 

[Kitchenella]

My hen must be a prodigy. She just laid her first eggs last week and here sunrise is about 6 AM and sunset about 5 PM.

They are cute little beige eggs and she has been giving one every other day so far. I wonder if she will stop and start again in the spring or if we will be lucky and lay all winter.

She is a Baladi chicken, a middle eastern breed.

Peggy