/ Register

  1. If this is your first time on BYC, we suggest you start with one of these three options:
    Raising Chickens Chicken Coops Join BYC
    If you're already a member of our community, click here to login & click here to learn what's new!

Is it time for lightbulbs already???

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by Country Gal, Aug 20, 2007.

Most Liked Posts
Page 1 of 2
  1. Aug 20, 2007 #1
    Country Gal

    Country Gal Chillin' With My Peeps

    334
    0
    149
    Feb 2, 2007
    Capac, MI
    I think it's already time to put a light in my coop for added "daylight" hours! The chickens are heading back into to coop at night around 8:45 p.m., and I noticed this morning that it was still totally dark outside at 6:00 a.m.!

    It still seems so early in the year to me... is it that time already???

    I need 14 hours of light for them to lay, right?
     
  3. Aug 20, 2007 #2
    silkiechicken

    silkiechicken Staff PhD Premium Member

    21,500
    179
    393
    Jan 25, 2007
    Everett WA/Corvallis OR
    Well, I just let mine do thier thing and if they stop they are resting. I don't supplement with light and in the winter it is dark by about 4:30 and the sun comes up at like 8! They still lay eggs too, just not as many.
     
  5. Aug 20, 2007 #3
    Firefly

    Firefly Chillin' With My Peeps

    163
    0
    139
    Mar 26, 2007
    Connecticut
    I was glad to see this question-- I've been wondering the same thing. We're getting about 12 hrs of light here now, and it's growing shorter by the day.

    Thanks for the advice, silkiechicken!
     
  7. Aug 20, 2007 #4
    Heidi

    Heidi Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,087
    0
    179
    Mar 18, 2007
    Northwest Michigan
    I'm glad you voice that and your from Michigan too. [​IMG]
    I was going to start putting light in the coop this weekend. First I have to go buy an extension cord for outdoors that will reach the coop. I was planning on putting a timer in there that will kick the light on at 5 am. Eventually, I will have to set it for an earlier time if the chickens are to get 14 hours. Mine are only 24 weeks - so only 1/2 are laying. Are you going to start putting a light on then?
     
  9. Aug 20, 2007 #5
    Standard Hen

    Standard Hen Chillin' With My Peeps

    1,143
    3
    171
    May 17, 2007
    Massachusetts
    I do like silkiechicken, no lights and I still get eggs all winter just not as many. I feel they need the rest too and once it gets dark it is lights out!

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Aug 20, 2007 #6
    Chickfever

    Chickfever Chillin' With My Peeps

    685
    0
    159
    Jul 22, 2007
    Southwest VA
    I have a light in my coop but it's for my babies. Will that throw my hens off/make them lay more? Of course, I can't figure out where they are laying anyway so it doesn't really matter [​IMG]. Free ranging....
     
  13. Aug 21, 2007 #7
    Country Gal

    Country Gal Chillin' With My Peeps

    334
    0
    149
    Feb 2, 2007
    Capac, MI
    I'm planning on putting a light in this weekend. My chickens are just getting ready to start laying soon (they turn 18 weeks on Friday!) and I can't afford to slow their egg production - I have too many people waiting to buy them!

    I will have to run an extension cord from the pole barn into the coop. I think I'm going to set a timer to turn the light on at 6:00 a.m. for a few hours, turn off while it's actually daylight, then turn back on in the early evening, then back off around 9:00 p.m.

    I'm interested to see if I'll need to throw a heat lamp in there as well through the winter. I specifically ordered "hardy" breeds of chicken, and I insulated the coop, so I guess we'll see how they act once it starts getting really cold...
     
  15. Aug 21, 2007 #8
    cgray4

    cgray4 New Egg

    4
    0
    7
    Aug 21, 2007
    I was wondering if I should supplement light for my chickens.
    We get plenty of eggs now but I was wondering if I will get any eggs without supplementing light. This is our first year raising chickens.
    Do any of these breeds lay in winter without supplemental light: EE, barred rock, delaware, welsummer, wyandotte, turken, buff orpington, RIR?
    Christy, IN
     
  17. Aug 22, 2007 #9
    ozark hen

    ozark hen Living My Dream

    6,966
    19
    283
    Apr 4, 2007
    Mansfield, MO
    Quote:Can you put in a red light bulb for the babies? It won't effect the adults if you do.
     
  19. Aug 22, 2007 #10
    cookiesdaddy

    cookiesdaddy Chillin' With My Peeps

    217
    9
    143
    Apr 13, 2007
    California Bay Area
    I was wondering the same thing. I think I'll follow SilkieChicken's practice - no artificial light to give my girls a rest. I want to keep them and have their egg production for a long time. Plus, that way I don't have to run electrical wires to the coop [​IMG]

    I read somewhere that if you do add light, do so in the morning only. From my observation of my own girls getting panicky finding their way back to the roost just before dark, I think it will be devastating to them if you just shut the light at 9PM, without giving them a natural (and gradual) transition from light to dark. My thought only.

    Cheers!
     
Page 1 of 2

BackYard Chickens is proudly sponsored by