How long does it take after adding light for hen to lay?

[aart]

Chicalina I didn’t find any studies, which is why I asked if you had any. I guess you dont have any either. I’ve seen more information saying what aart said (they have more eggs than they will ever lay). Similar to humans. They stop laying as they get older and the egg quality decreases. More to do with age than how many they have laid.
Also, the supplemental light for me was because their coop is in a dark garage (to help protect them from predators). There is a small window but it does’t let much light in. I put a light on a timer going on and off with our natural sunrise/sunset. Two days after I added it one girl started laying. I just wanted to know if it was related, didn’t need a lecture. Thanks though!

Lighting is a hot topic....some folks don't bother to ask or read how the light is to be used.

 

[Chicalina]

Yes, billions.....and they would never lay them all, no matter what the lighting conditions.

Using supplemental light is not a death sentence. It depends on how you use it.
The bird needs to molt and take a break annually.

I was simplifying it for the purpose of the post. Like other animals when they reach the end of their reproductive life, it is hormones that play a major part in releasing/stopping. I used 'used up' very broadly and simplistically. I didn't want to go into a lengthy and largely irrelevant description of chicken anatomy and reproduction for a short post, plus I'm not claiming to know everything or be an expert.

The longevity of layer breeds, egg issues, and light usage is common knowledge!

 

[Chicalina]

Chicalina I didn’t find any studies, which is why I asked if you had any. I guess you dont have any either. I’ve seen more information saying what aart said (they have more eggs than they will ever lay). Similar to humans. They stop laying as they get older and the egg quality decreases. More to do with age than how many they have laid.
Also, the supplemental light for me was because their coop is in a dark garage (to help protect them from predators). There is a small window but it does’t let much light in. I put a light on a timer going on and off with our natural sunrise/sunset. Two days after I added it one girl started laying. I just wanted to know if it was related, didn’t need a lecture. Thanks though!

Sorry, I didn't mean to lecture, just inform.

You didn't mention a dark garage in your OP. That is relevant.

Do they get to go out into natural daylight in a run during the day?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The light is unnecessary and probably unrelated to you getting your first egg. Typically 21 weeks is when they start laying. Patience - it’s not the right time of year for supplemental lighting.

Depends where OP is. It's winter in Australia, isn't it? Don't know if OP is there, though.

 

[Mamatomany123]

Chicalina I didn’t find any studies, which is why I asked if you had any. I guess you dont have any either. I’ve seen more information saying what aart said (they have more eggs than they will ever lay). Similar to humans. They stop laying as they get older and the egg quality decreases. More to do with age than how many they have laid.
Also, the supplemental light for me was because their coop is in a dark garage (to help protect them from predators). There is a small window but it does’t let much light in. I put a light on a timer going on and off with our natural sunrise/sunset. Two days after I added it one girl started laying. I just wanted to know if it was related, didn’t need a lecture. Thanks though!

I dont have anything to say on the supplimental light, you use it if you want or dont if you dont. But shutting the lights off at night instead of it getting darker as the sun goes down is much more stressful on chickens. Is there a way to let it naturally and slowly get dark instead of going from light to dark?

 

[Laughingduck81]

Im in

I dont have anything to say on the supplimental light, you use it if you want or dont if you dont. But shutting the lights off at night instead of it getting darker as the sun goes down is much more stressful on chickens. Is there a way to let it naturally and slowly get dark instead of going from light to dark?

Yes it is still dusk when my light goes out

 

[BigBlueHen53]

To answer your original question. In mid-February of this year we started supplementing light at the end of the day. It was dark by about 4:30 if I remember correctly. We added an extra half an hour of light every evening for about a week until we got up to about 8 pm and then held it there. About two weeks later we started getting eggs. We did this because so many had gone into molt in late summer, like mid-August, and we just weren't getting any eggs, or hardly any. I just wanted to jump-start them for spring and that seemed to work. My memory may not be real accurate but this is how I remember it. I didn't keep records.

Oh wait. Discussing this with The Man. He says one night he accidentally forgot to shut up the chickens and left the light on all night. May be coincidental, he says, but the next day we got our first egg, and soon we were getting a decent amount. Have about 20-ish hens, yearlings and 2 year olds. Right now we are getting 14 to 16 eggs a day. EE and BA mostly, and 5 Brown Leghorns.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Supplemental light should be unnecessary this close to summer solstice. We are at the longest days of the year.
September to December is a different story.

 

[Xaphus]

If you’re looking for layers, our ISA Browns layed throughout the winter, while the others stopped.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Most fairly productive breeds of first year layers will normally lay right through their first winter.
Pick poor producing breeds and they will lay poorly on an annual basis. Pick good producing breeds and you'll be pleased.