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Just Added Light - How Long?

Discussion in 'Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying' started by enggass, Jan 2, 2014.

Most Liked Posts
  1. Jan 2, 2014 #1
    enggass

    enggass Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Hey all,
    I just added a light on a timer that extends the light until around 8:00pm at night. Gets dark around 4:00 here this time of year... It's been about 4 days now - just wondering how long before this begins to take effect on the egg laying habits? Last year I had no eggs for 3 months during the dead of winter. 16 birds and 0 eggs - ugh!
     
  3. Jan 2, 2014 #2
    Chicks Galore3

    Chicks Galore3 Artistic Bird Nut Premium Member

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    It took mine about a week, week and a half, but they were just coming out of molting too.
     
  5. Jan 2, 2014 #3
    1muttsfan

    1muttsfan Overrun With Chickens

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    Mar 26, 2011
    Upper Peninsula Michigan
    Probably a week or two before you start seeing eggs.

    It is actually better to add light in the morning, as that allows a natural twilight for the birds to put themselves to roost, instead of sudden darkness while they may still be moving around.
     
  7. Jan 2, 2014 #4
    enggass

    enggass Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Mar 8, 2010
    Mid-Coast Maine
    Makes sense, but the timer the light is on is activated by a dusk activated sensor and then I can specify how long it stays on. I'd have to get up and manually turn them on early then manually turn them off otherwise. - Thanks.
     
  9. Jan 12, 2014 #5
    BroosterSpringsteen

    BroosterSpringsteen Chillin' With My Peeps

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    NW North Carolina
    I'm curious...do you have eggs yet? I added light starting Dec 23, and still haven't seen an egg. My chickens finished molting several weeks ago. They stopped laying back in Sept. They're getting 16 hours of light/day. Lazy chickens...:)
     

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