Light in the chicken coup controversy

[Bitter Lakr]

As we are starting to get shorter days now, I am trying to decide if it is a good idea to light the coup so that we can get eggs all winter. Some people are adamant that chickens should be left alone and have a chance to rest during the winter. I have 6 chickens from 19 weeks old to 25 weeks old. Only one layer so afar and one looks like she is ready. They seem late to start later than some on this forum. I am trying to be patient. I don't know if I don't give them light they may not even lay his year.

 

[Alaskan]

I think the people who say "give the poor chickens a natural break" live in Texas with one month of winter.

There are a few breeds that will lay all year with zero light (production white leghorns will lay in freezing cold and darkness, nonstop). However, my other breeds need light to lay. ...and my winter is 9 months. No chicken needs a nine month break.

Achem..... my point....

1. Depends where you live

2. Depends on if your chickens are pets only, or if your chickens are required to produce.

As to point 1, "depends where you live", up here, if you do not provide artificial light, and it gets super cold, the chickens will die because there are not enough hours in the day to EAT enough to stay warm.

Soooooooooo

Do whatever it is that makes YOU happy!

Really.

And yes, depending on how far north you live, it is possible that you will get ZERO eggs until spring, unless you provide light.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed. I choose to let my birds have a bit of a slow down. Then, I start ramping up the light towards the end of october, adding an extra hour/week, ending up with them on a 14 hour total day length: Light on at 6:30 AM, off at 10 AM, on at 3PM, off at 8:30 PM. I have a solar light that is charged by the supplemental light that acts as a night light to give them a bit of light after the main light goes out at 8:30. Other folks keep them on the same day length year round, and still others turn the lights out in Sept to give them a down time for molt. But, they will molt no matter what you do.

It boils down to personal choice, and there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Don't let any one guilt you into thinking otherwise.

 

[Bitter Lakr]

We live in central Ontario, Canada. Daylight hours are already shortening. Right now they generally are up and about between 6:00 & 6:30 am and head back into the coup around 8:20 pm. (Already a half hour earlier than a week ago.) I have 2 - 25 week old white plymouth rocks, 2 - 23 week old barred rocks and 2 - 19 week old Red X. Only one of the whites has been laying for 3 weeks now and one of the barred rocks is squatting and checking out the nest. Nothing from the others yet

 

[Alaskan]

Yep... when the light drops off that fast...it makes a giant difference.

Central Ontario gets pretty cold from what I understand.

I would think you would want a light to give them a 10 hour day, if you want a few to zero eggs, but enough time for them to eat and stay warm.

You want more hours of light if you want eggs.