how do they adjust to a new light in the coop?

[newchik715]

so i put a light out in the coop for the first time and i was wondering how they will react to it? when could they possibly atart to lay again now that the light is on and adding 5 additional hours of light? they are one year old and laid fine until october and not one egg since october.

 

[kidd42]

It took my girls about a week to start laying with the lights this winter. Then they increased egg laying over the course of about three weeks. Went from 0 eggs from 8 hens to 5 to 7 a day with 8 eggs about once a week now.

 

[WI_Red]

Hi 715,
I'm a WI newbie (8/10) and have 2 hens that will be 1yr end of March. We didn't get any eggs once the snow flew (Dec 10) until I put a lite in the coop (solar-approx 4-5 hours add'l) a couple weeks ago AND I also had up'd their protein intake. I used cooked eggs, chicken, other left over meats, even bought them some wax worms (but only once, $$). I think it took less then a week, maybe 3 or 4 days of add'l lite to produce eggs again. My girls had free ranged daily Aug until that Dec 10th storm and after that kept themselves cooped until a few days ago when they could see the bare ground in a few places. Even then I had to initiate their first romp. Now we're stormed in again, oh well .... it too will pass. I wish I had put the lite in their coop right away. We missed not having the eggs. Our 'Butterscotch' (Cinnamon Queen) even decided to molt during the last week in Dec through Jan. She was looking pretty rough, the coop's a stand alone w/o heat, 4x8 and 4.5 to 5.5' tall. We got quite a few days and nights of zero and below. She held her own and is looking good now, thank goodness.

 

[newchik715]

i waited on adding any light bc we had a coon attack and lost two girls and i was finishing school at the time so i decided to let them take a break....but now i want eggs again!!!!

 

[WI_Red]

715,
Pg 2,
I just wanted to add that I placed my solar lights below the roost (about 1'). They are cone shaped and shine only where they are pointed. I guess I wanted the girls to be able to get away from the light if they wanted to and I didn't know how long the solars would stay on. I can only speak for myself when I say 'lites on 24/7 would drive me nuts'.

 

[kidd42]

I should have added that my lights are on a timer and come on at 4:30 am and off at around 7:00 am when the sun is up. I let the girls go to bed with the natural setting sun. This setup gives them about 13 hours of light now. I would never think of leaving lights on 24/7.

 

[BWKatz]

I use one string of xmas lights under the roost with a timer. It stays on for an hour after lockdown to allow them time to find their favorite spot and settle down. It also reassures them going into a dark coup that nothing is going to reach out & grab them. Then it comes on 5am to allow them time to wake up and lay their eggs before letting them out to pen. This is year round.