Light for winter eggs?

[pacenme]

Someone told me that I should put a light in their coop if I want to continue to having the same amount of eggs thoughout the winter. If so do I leave it on 24/7? Should I use a heat lamp like the one I used when they were chicks? Thanx! This is my first winter owning chickens

 

[mickey328]

Chickens need about 16 hours a day to maintain their "regular" production. If you want to increase it over the winter, you can put a light in the coop...just a regular light bul; they need the light, not the heat . Use a timer to have it come on before sun up and shut off at sunrise. Count backwards from when the sun sets in your area so that you end up with 16 hours. For example...if the sun sets at 6pm and rises at 7am, that gives you 11 hours. You'll want to add about 5 hours of light for them, so you'd set the timer for the light to go on at 2am and off at 7am. It's better to add the time in the morning since they're effectively night blind and if you add light at night and it all of a sudden shuts off after sundown, they won't be able to see to get back in the coop.

 

[pacenme]

Thanx! I can put the light on when I get home from work and turn it off in the morning. I think I have an extra timer laying around the house somewhere. Using the timer would be soo much easier! Thanx for the advice!