Light or no light?

[warmwater]

We alternate. One year we put the light on them during winter months for eggs and then the next year we don't (we gave them winter egg laying months off). We have done this for the past eight years. This year our broody hen hatched 5 chicks later in the summer. The pullets are 22 wks old and we should be getting eggs soon. This is also the (lights off ) winter.

MY QUESTION is will it hurt the pullets if we don't put the light on them this winter since they are just going into the laying phase of life? Will they get egg bound or anything like that? I know with our older girls we still get an egg or two a day (with lights out). That is okay with my DH he just eats...oat meal... for breakfast in the winter.

I know it's a silly question, but I would rather be safe than sorry. Thanks

 

[greathorse]

It will not hurt them at all. It is your choice of course whether or not you want to hurry along the egg making process or not. I am on the greedy side and would take full advantage of the fact that they are just about to hit their stride in egg production, but it is certainly your call. I have a two groups of RIR that are the same age. I split them into a pen that I will be hatching from and put lights on them the other half I have no lights and the no light ones have yet to start and the ones with the lights are laying nearly every day.

It is all you

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't see how it could hurt them to not have light. My experience with pullets just starting to lay is different than others. I have 13 pullets that are 30 weeks old and I do not put lights on them. In the last several days, out of the 13 pullets I have received 6, 12, 8, 10, and 11 eggs. I am currently getting less than 10 hours between sunrise and sunset. I can't explain it and will not try.

 

[kcsunshine]

I too have 13 hens less than 1 year old, no lights, about 10 hrs of daylight, and am getting 5 to 9 eggs per day - go figure!

 

[greathorse]

Quote:
Hmm that is just about what my pullets under lights are doing maybe I am wasting lights Though the others have yet to start. There doesn't seem a pervect answer

 

[Chaz]

I put in a small fluorescent work light, around the first of November. I am at the 45th parallel, so the hours of light diminish over 25 days before solistice. On at 5:00 off at 8:00 AM, and a little bit of light from 4:30 to 5:30.
The started laying eggs very routinely after that. One a day for my Delaware, (exactly at 9:00 AM) and every other day for my Lakenfelder.

 

[gritsar]

I can't tell you where I read it, without doing an hours worth of searching, but I don't think it matters in the first year. Pullets coming into their first year of laying will lay well (per their breed) in winter, regardless. That's what I experienced with mine in the first year. If they are going to slow down, it will be in their second year; unless you have a breed that just doesn't lay well in winter.

 

[warmwater]

Thanks everyone for the replys. Then lights out it is.....I know my older girls will be happy to have a break.