Light on 24/7 or not?

[lhousesoccer]

Hi - I'm a newbie with chickens. Working on my page right now to get pics up. Got my first 12 chicks ever on May 7, and I built a coop from scratch. My chickens are growing like crazy, and seem to be quite happy and cozy in the coop right now. I have a quick question. I've been running a heat lamp since I got them but now it's in the mid 80's and I think they're warm enough, even overnight. So I switched out the heat lamp for a compact fluroescent 15-watt bulb just for light. My question is, should I run the light all night long, or are the chickens OK being in the dark. Probably a silly question, so sorry for asking if it is.

Thanks!

Question 2 I need to post - I haven't built roosts yet. With 12 chickens, I think I need two rows of roosts. What spacing should I use for the distance between the top roost and the bottom roost?

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

They will be fine in the dark.

Good luck with your babes!

You are ahead of us...working on their run then will remodel a shed for their coop. We are right at 100 degrees; sure wish we had been able to get this done in March or April!

 

[Imp]

It really is your decision.

I have a light on 24/7, not a problem.

Imp

 

[Zahboo]

Light on or off is fine, whatever you're comfortable with.

The roosts need to be higher than nest boxes and I suggest putting them at the same height so there is no king of the hill. I'm planing on doing 2 roosts parallel in my coop with about 18" between them. That's just my figuring though.

 

[GoAngels]

The light is more for heat than light. A CF bulb hardly puts out any heat, so it really isn't necessary.

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
What I was going to say.

 

[lhousesoccer]

Great - thanks everyone who answered. Mostly I need the light to go out just at dark and top up their feed and water, but I don't have a switch - it's just a bulb on an adapter plugged into an extension cord run from the garage. It seemed really bright in there and I wasn't sure if that would interfere with their sleep. I think I'll go to the hardware store tomorrow and try and get a really dull light bulb, instead of the bright white compact fluorescent.