Maybe this is a stupid question, but is the color of light important for egg laying? Right now, I have a high efficiency (doesn't put out heat) white light coming on twice a day to extend light for my chickens so they will lay (they all hit laying age right as the days started getting shorter--they still aren't all laying). It is supposed to get down into the teens some nights in the next week and I'm thinking about switching to a heat lamp over night (red bulb) to keep them warm since I haven't insulated the coop yet. Will the red light still stimulate them for egg production? Or will I need two separate lamps for heat and light?
You don't need heat for your chickens. As long as they in a coop that is free from drafts, they'll be fine. Chickens do quite well in the cold.
