How much light in winter?

[marksouth]

Im trying to think this through. Since you are inducing laying in a season with reduced sunlight you need to suppliment the full spectrum light given by the sun as well to provide the means to absorb the elements they need to be healthy. Which otherwise might become depleted through laying.

Makes since if indeed they need sunlight to process calcium and vitamin D. I'll check this out. Thanks.

 

[quailswiss]

These quail are outdoors and I am only using artificial light during the evening. The shortest daylight span here is 8am - 4pm, that is 8 hours, which I am extending to 14 hours. So they still get 60% sunlight, which might be enough for calcium and Vit D. The latter, for humans, is covered by an hour outdoors a day if I remember the medical recommendation for children correctly. Don't know about the calcium.

 

[quailswiss]

Did you mean 10x12 ft = 120 sq ft?

That means that I just need to add double the no of led's for my small coop of 8 sq ft (the part I will be lighting), or use a 100 led string of 0.5W .

 

[Apdeb]

Yes 7 watt led for 120 sq ft

 

[marksouth]

Ok humans synthesize vitamin D through their skin. Chickens can synthesize a small amount through their combs but gamebirds have to get vitamin d through what thet eat as their skin is almost completely covered with feathers. Any well balanced gamebird feed will provide plenty of what they need in both vitamin d and calcium year round. So LED lighting will work just fine. According to an expert.