Light in coop

[swimmer]

My girls should start laying some time around Halloween. With the days getting shorter, should I start putting a light on in the coop for a few hours at night? Or will they start laying, but fewer eggs than they normally would in the summer months. I know in the "old days" they probably didn't light the coop and still got eggs. But not sure with them just starting right before winter.

 

[CindyG]

If you do put a light in, time it to come on earlier in the morning, if you use it at night, the chickens won't have that naturally settling down time to get situated on the roosts before the light is gone. Turning it off suddenly is dis-orienting for them. Or, I suppose you could put it on a dimmer to gradually go off.

 

[swimmer]

Thanks, that sounds easy enough. I've got lots of timers from all those x-mas lights I make my poor husband hang up. I'm sure he'd be happy to lend me one.

 

[teach1rusl]

I think they'll start laying, but maybe won't lay as often this winter if you don't add a light. My girls didn't start laying until February, and the days were still pretty short (they were 19-21 weeks). I did turn a light on out there in the evening until around 7:00 PM or so, but that was just so I could go out there and sit with them a bit...not to help them lay.

 

[woodmort]

In the winter (October through April)I use a double timer, turns on at 6am off at 9 then on at 4 pm off at 9. 15 hrs of light is about right to keep them laying and not overdue it.