My hens were only getting twelve hours of daylight today. They quit laying about a week ago, so I decided to get a timer and increase the light time for them, but I didn't want to be changing it over and over.
I Googled for "sunrise sunset December 21, 2009, Greenwood, Indiana". From there I learned that on the shortest day of the year, December 21:
Sunrise will be 8:01 A.M. (Standard/winter time) in Greenwood, Indiana.
Sunset will be 5:23 i.e., almost 9 1/2 hours, so I had to add 4 1/2 hours of light using a 75-watt bulb.
I set my timer's time to Standard Time even though we are now and will be on Daylight Saving Time until November 1st, and for A.M. the light is to come on at 5:00 A.M. and go off at 8 A.M. For P.M., the light comes on at 4 P.M. and goes off at 7 P.M.
Doing it this way, they should get use to having three extra hours of light in the mornings and three extra hours in the evening making a total of the same, exact 14 hours every day this fall and winter until spring when I will shut it off.
Maybe my young hens will start laying this fall rather than waiting until spring.
EDIT: BTW, I also keep a 15-watt bulb turned on 24/7 so they can still see in the dark to go to roost after the 75-watt bulb suddenly goes out at 7 P.M. It's very dim, but it gives just enough light for them to see the roosts in the 24'x12' area in the barn where they will all be this winter.
I Googled for "sunrise sunset December 21, 2009, Greenwood, Indiana". From there I learned that on the shortest day of the year, December 21:
Sunrise will be 8:01 A.M. (Standard/winter time) in Greenwood, Indiana.
Sunset will be 5:23 i.e., almost 9 1/2 hours, so I had to add 4 1/2 hours of light using a 75-watt bulb.
I set my timer's time to Standard Time even though we are now and will be on Daylight Saving Time until November 1st, and for A.M. the light is to come on at 5:00 A.M. and go off at 8 A.M. For P.M., the light comes on at 4 P.M. and goes off at 7 P.M.
Doing it this way, they should get use to having three extra hours of light in the mornings and three extra hours in the evening making a total of the same, exact 14 hours every day this fall and winter until spring when I will shut it off.
Maybe my young hens will start laying this fall rather than waiting until spring.
EDIT: BTW, I also keep a 15-watt bulb turned on 24/7 so they can still see in the dark to go to roost after the 75-watt bulb suddenly goes out at 7 P.M. It's very dim, but it gives just enough light for them to see the roosts in the 24'x12' area in the barn where they will all be this winter.
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