Leaving light on in the coop.

[Foghorn Mike]

My guineas are now 9 weeks. Just out of habit, I have left the light on at night in the coop. Is this a bad idea or does it really matter? They will be free ranging in a few more weeks but will be in the coop at night.

 

[robin416]

Not the best idea. They need to become accustomed to the darkness at night. What is the rest of your setup? Do they have the capability of going out in to a secure pen during the day? Are there windows or other source of light?

What you'll run in to if you try to turn the light out after dark is a bunch of birds panicking. It needs to either begin dimming right at dusk or turned off completely.

 

[Foghorn Mike]

I let them in a secure pen when I am around and have been training them to come back into the coop when I ring a bell. Yes, there are windows ect on the coop for natural light. It is like daylight in the coop during the daytime. Should I just start letting it naturally go dark in the coop in the evenings?

 

[Finn's Mom]

I don't think it's a bad idea, it's just not necessary. I left the light on at dusk for my keets when they were smaller and turned it off once they got settled. I think I did this more for me than them.

After a couple of days I just rounded them up to bed right before dusk, no light. They've been doing fine.

 

[racuda]

It may sound silly, but I don't think they sleep as well with the light on. I know I don't.

 

[robin416]

Finn's Mom :

I don't think it's a bad idea, it's just not necessary. I left the light on at dusk for my keets when they were smaller and turned it off once they got settled. I think I did this more for me than them.

After a couple of days I just rounded them up to bed right before dusk, no light. They've been doing fine.

Just like with chickens and as already stated by one poster us humans need darkness for sound sleep. Full time light messes with the biological rhythms of the body.

You have windows so I would turn the light off and leave it off. I learned that if I turned the light off when it was already dark it upsets the heck out everyone. So I always try to make certain the lights are off before full dark. My troops know when to go in and are headed to their coop before dark.​

 

[Foghorn Mike]

What about in the winter, to generate some heat in the coop. During the winter here, it can dip down into the single digits at night.

 

[robin416]

Depending on your set up you can either use a red 65 watt spot light or one of the infrared lights or heaters.

 

[racuda]

Quote:
Guineas in an unheated coop will have no problems in the winter in Virginia.