Hi All, I live in upstate NY where are nights are short in the winter months. I bought several cicks in mid-April that have not started laying yet. Now that we are heading into fall, I am wondering how much light these girls are going to need in order to keeping them laying through the winter (once they start). I am thinking of putting a light on automatic timer. By October, it starts getting dark @ 5pm and dawn is about 7 am. Should I have the light come on in the evening or in the early morning? Thanks!
Optimum laying requires 14 hours of daylight. It's best to add the additional light in the morning, so the flock doesn't get caught off the roost when the light suddenly clicks off. This way they rise early and can go to bed with the normal daylight diminishing every day. Once your pullets begin to lay, they should lay every day for the first full year. bigzio