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

[Tacampbell1973]

Quote:

 

[crazyhen]

I only light of a morning to extend their day. I put scratch into the pens and then the doors are closed till I wake up. The light comes on early and they enjoy the scratch i put out in the pen the night before. No picking at each other. They still molted well and are nice healthy birds. I am getting eggs from the new pullets that were born in March of this yr. The older hens occ. lay an egg but not many as expected. Some of mine are three yrs. old. They layed well for them this Summer and esp. Spring. I cannot see me heating the coop. Chickens get use to the heat and then if the power is off they suffer. If the cold comes on gradually they get extra feathers to help them. We have had temps of 10 degrees here without problems. Now I do protect from wind. That can kill any animal with evaporative cooling. I am NPIP and A1 tested. The only problem I ever had was from a hen I imported that had MS/MG I lost a whole flock to it and realized no more hens brought in ever again. I get eggs or day old chicks from trusted people here on the site. I also hatch my own now.

 

[chickenmomma2]

I have been lighting my coop from August 15th until May 15th for 20 years. I started lighting because the article in Organic Gardening in 1993 told me to do it & told me everything else I needed to know for chickens. My chickens have always molted & taken their turns at "resting" in their second fall even with lighting. I never understood the comments that lighting keeps chickens from molting. I have never found that to be true. They molted on schedule & the light was there for the ones that were still laying. Chickens indeed are born with all the eggs they will ever have, but so is every other female in the food chain & very few ever "run out" including humans. I have had 8 year old chickens laying a few eggs a week, even though they laid like gangbusters in their first 2 years and were hatchery stock. This is just my experience, so everyone has to make their own decision on lighting.

I have had chickens for 2 years this month. I put a light in the coop last year and and have one in this year. It comes on at 6 a.m. and goes off at 8 a.m. Then it comes back on at 4 p.m. and goes off at 6 p.m. My girls molt and some have stopped laying for right now. Egg production has slowed some but I believe it's because of the molt. I started the lighting because I wanted consistant egg production. I sell eggs so the girls can support themselves. Which they do in fine style. I also give them pep talks when I need more eggs and thank them when they pick up production.

As far as making the roos crow.....I have a roo who must be a night owl. He has crowed at 2:38 a.m. Of course I have always considered his "special".

Good luck with your girls. Go with your "gut" and do for your girls that you believe to be right. Good luck.

 

[crazyhen]

I have owned chickens for 5 yrs. I put a light in the coop to come on at 4:30 am and go off at 9 am. The evenings they put themselves to sleep on their schedule.. I have not had any problems with this. I do put scratch in there when I close the door at night so they will have something to do in the am when the light comes on. Otherwise they might pick each other. It is not a natural process and I am sure in the long run the hens may run out of eggs a bit sooner. Otherwise it will be give you more eggs in the winter months.

 

[Chicken Happy]

I did put a dim night light in the coop for them. Not sure if this really qualifies as 'supplemental' light or not.I only did this because I have a few girls that have retched eyesight. If they were on the floor when the light went off...they were still there in the morning. It stopped when I put the nightlight in.

 

[Steena]

Hi,
I'm new to raising chickens and I only have three very "spoiled" hens, but I learn a lot from all of you who are so kind to give advice and support.

I bought an extension with a caged light bulb on one end so that the girls would have some source of heat in winter. Here in NYS it get mighty cold. I read and heard that a light bulb is most often used and not any type of heater.
But, now I'm worried that the light bulb, which I'll hang in the coop, will keep the girls awake and stress them. Certainly something I do not intend.
What is a suggestion?

The girls are about six months old plus.
No eggs, yet.
And they are so darn cute and very funny.

Steena

 

[prestonhigg]

I would just watch how long you have that light on but i would put a smaller light and a heater

 

[crazyhen]

The trouble with heat is the chickens get use to that and then freeze if you do not have heat. The main thing is to keep them in a draft free building with top ventilation areas. Chickens do not require heat. They will acclimate to the temps. The light is to encourage egg laying. Constant light is not good for the hens they do need to sleep. Only chicks that have not fully fledged with feathers need heat.

 

[bobbi-j]

Hi,
I'm new to raising chickens and I only have three very "spoiled" hens, but I learn a lot from all of you who are so kind to give advice and support.

I bought an extension with a caged light bulb on one end so that the girls would have some source of heat in winter. Here in NYS it get mighty cold. I read and heard that a light bulb is most often used and not any type of heater.
But, now I'm worried that the light bulb, which I'll hang in the coop, will keep the girls awake and stress them. Certainly something I do not intend.
What is a suggestion?

The girls are about six months old plus.
No eggs, yet.
And they are so darn cute and very funny.

Steena

You do not need to heat the coop. I live in MN and it gets mighty cold here, too. Crazyhen hit it right on the button - you don't want them to get used to supplemental heat. They do acclimate to the conditions. If you want to give them extra light, I would put in a regular light bulb and put it on a timer.

 

[Steena]

OK
I'm not going to put in any kind of heat be it light bulb or "hot tub"!
The coop is surrounded by a wonderful pen which has solar plexi and it's vented at the top. It's a nice set-up.
They will not be bothered by wind and I'll be sure they get a good diet. I bought some seed mix, yesterday as a supplement to their staple which is cracked corn or what some call "Developer Diet". I give them scraps, meal worms and they free range when I'm out working on the property. As well as various greens.
I took the suggestions of other members and cooked the butternut squash and they love it.

I do have two big worries. One is neighborhood cats. One in particular is a killer and it was he who killed my first three hens.
The second is the hawk problem. Twice a hawk has tried to take one of the girls.
I've read about hawks and also asked others but there does not seem to be a solution to the hawk problem.
One person said he believed hawks were frightened of crows. That seemed unbelievable to me, but this guy raised chickens, so he certainly knows more than I do.
There are crows around but how do I compensate the crows for watching my chickens??? Where do I find a scarecrow costume?

Steena