Light on--they roost anyway!??

[JudyMcKinn]

I put a little timer on a light in my chickenhouse, to go on at 6 a.m. (doesn't get light here till 7) and then come on at 5 p.m. till 9 p.m. So they should have 15 hours of light. Also have a little 15 watt bulb going all the time, so they can find their way to the roost when the light goes off at 9 p.m.
They don't pay any attention at all to it. If I check on them at 8 p.m., for instance, they are all contentedly roosting with the light on. If they roost anyway, does the light still do any good?
Mine molted, but are pretty well growing back their feathers now, so I think it is time they get going again. Getting about 5 eggs from 20 hens. All are layer types. ??

 

[HennysMom]

if they're roosting and asleep I dont think the light is going to matter much, they're sleeping. Did all your birds molt at the same time and stop laying? 5 eggs for 20 birds..wow!

I dont have any light in my coop at all and my girls are all still laying ( I have 6 ) and they give me 6 eggs daily, and usually all are finished laying by 9:30 a.m.

 

[spatcher]

Had 9 layers without light and was getting one or two eggs a day-Now have 11 laying and average 7 a day with lights. They roost with the lights on so something kicked in there!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Mine go up to roost too if I don't have the light on by 4:30 because it is already getting darker by than. I get 11 eggs from 11 hens most days.

 

[JudyMcKinn]

To HennysMom
Yes, wow! on the 5 from 20 hens. LOL These are 2 year old hens, so that may be making a difference, but was getting 15-16 a day a month or 2 ago. Some started molting later than others, and some are looking pretty good now. A few are still looking pretty ragged, need to grow in tail feathers--especially my 4 GLW's. I have mixed in some chick starter with their egg pellets to make a little more protein. ??
Thanks to Spatcher and Hangin for your input, also. Guess I will leave the light a while, and see if they improve.

 

[HennysMom]

Judy - awee.. poor girls... all nekkie and stuff

I hope they start laying for you again and soon

 

[digitS']

One reason I put my birds on MY schedule is because I could interact more with them

. I don't really doubt that it would be preferable for the light to go on very, very early in the morning so that they respond to a 3:50 sunset in a more natural way . . . they could go straight to sleep. But, I don't do that. I'm up by 5:30 AM and have no intention of going to bed at 4 PM.
So, I interact a bit with the chickens after sunset

. It keeps them a little active after 4 PM but I've noticed that they are ALWAYS on the roost by 9 PM. I just make sure of that before turning off the light.

Actually, I've learned to never do anything more than glance in there at 9. If I so much as give the impression that I'm putting a treat out - down they come off the roost

. If the light goes off when they are on the floor and I leave the pop door open because it isn't freezing that night - they will actually come outside in the dark

.

Anyway, if there's clean up work - that's 1st thing in the AM and they can watch me from the roost. After 4 PM it's treats, change of water, filling the feeder. Keeping them entertained during the long hours of darkness seems to help. Now that all are laying, there are more eggs each week.

Steve

 

[justhatchin]

I have a light on all night, since we have done this we have had (knocking on wood)

no problens with varmit and we get eggs right along. I leave for work in the dark now days so chores are in the dark, the light makes it easier, also come home in the dark- 10 hr days- they get fed in the dark those days. With the light on they just hop of the roost and eat -dark outside or not. I have red sex link and some mutts (rsl/slw) 1 silver laced wyandott hen, one bo hen and roo, 5 ee also 5 bantams. everone is still laying. I have eggs by 6 am-some like to lay early and some are laying at 4 pm.

You might try leaving the light on all night to see if they start laying again for you.


Hope this helps.

 

[Rocky4052]

What I do is let them roost normally at sunset----My light is on a timer to go on at 4 am and off at 7. This works great for me. But then again my schedule allows for some daylight interaction with them.

 

[Rocky4052]

As far as more protein , try black oil sunflower seeds mixed in with their food. Worked for me!