Is there a downside to putting a light in the coop for the winter months?

[teresak]

I am wondering what to do.........I do not need my hens to lay eggs I need them to be warm. I tried a heat bulb (replaced reg. bulb with the heat one- red.) My hens hated it. One hen in particular got very aggresive. I went back to the regular white light. It is getting in the single digits here in northern MN. Thats SO cold. Just want them to be comfortable-not frozen. Help

 

[Our Roost]

Do you have enough answers yet? Ha ha. Daylight savings time, winter hours and cold weather is the culprit behind all of this sometimes questionable action. Personally I only add enough light to compensate the difference both morning and evening and to see where the heck I'm walking. If you are wired properly to code and have a cage shield, you shouldnt have to worry about the typical extention cord fire hazard if you keep your light bulbs wiped and clean of dander dust. Plus you can swap it out for a heat bulb if it gets too cold for a little added warmth plus infered lighting that doesnt bother them too much at night. Another point is not all people experience continuous productivity just because they added light. The cold weather has as much to do with it as anything else. Good luck with this and carry a flashlight!

 

[furbabymum]

Research has proven that more than 18 hours of light actually decreases egg production.

Interesting and good to know! If it makes you feel better if they go into the "coop" half of our barn there is a wall that blocks most of the light from them.

 

[laurel1977]

We have 16 hens,,,White Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks and ONE Auracana. We have a 4 x 8 coop,( fenced and covered with netting) with a 40 watt bulb. We have an automatic door that opens at 7, so the light goes on from 6-7 a.m., it closes at 5:30 and the light is on from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Today, out of 16 hens, we got 7 eggs. Not exactly working them to death! Don't know if it actually helps but I don't think it hurts them at all. They are all hearty breeds for our cold winters in NE Ohio, so the light is not a heat source. SO I guess my answer is NO!

 

[laurel1977]

I have heard that you have to let them acclimate to the weather they live in. I am here in NE Ohio and it gets REALLY cold. I have had hens for years and have never lost any due to cold weather. Their coop is insulated, we have electricity in it just for the automatic door and the electric waterer and a 40 watt bulb for extra light. They have pine shavings on the floor, roosting poles and nesting boxes. If you have hearty breeds for your area, there shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Our Roost]

The sun rises in the east and settles in the west. Its good to know that in the dark.

 

[goodb]

USAF 02'-Present
Proud Father of 4 Girls and 1 Boy
Stationed at RAF Lakenheath, UK​

I salute you. Me? retired in '07

 

[jimmywalt]

I have a 3 watt night light that turns on when my automatic door closes. It runs all night. I just have it so that I can tell when the door is closed and then I know the hens are safe. I can see the night light through the window in their coop from my house.

Hope that's ok to leave on all night? I've been doing it since I built my automatic door in about July.

 

[evswabt]

Thanks to all who gave an opion about lights in the hen house. I'm new to egg layers and enjoy an average 4 or 5 eggs a day from my 6 hens. I read about hens needing 16 hours of light so we have it on a timer. My hens went through a short molting in their 11th month because I gave them protein cat food as suggested by someone. They are free range on an average of 6 hours per day, and I think they're okay. New in the hen house from ft. myers florida

 

[JesNflock]

I'm interested in learning about if I should add light or not as well..Lots of good info in this thread