Lighting For Egg Production?

[dfgkfghggfasd]

Question: Best lighting for egg production?

My understanding is that chickens need/prefer 16 hours of light to help lay eggs. This is why many coops experience a sharp decrease in eggs during the winter.

In order to supplement the lighting many add an orange or red light bulb in the coop (not run) to increase egg production (does this work?). However, many of the orange bulbs online just appear to have an orange filter to make the light orange, I assume this will not work? What do I need?

Thanks

 

[BYCforlife]

Just a regular light bulb will do, the color shouldn't matter.

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

The chickens do not need or prefer the light, they actually are happier without it, all it does is boost there laying to a point that is unhealthy in the winter because they need some rest from laying so much. The extra lighting will only cause stress because the hens never will get a break. Winter is a natural period when the hens don’t have to work as hard to lay so many eggs. If you supplement lighting the hens will not lay as long and won’t lay as many eggs in all the other seasons as they used to.

 

[Alaskan]

I think the orange/red light is from reading about heat bulbs?

Red heat bulbs are usually recommended over white heat bulbs since they let the chicks sleep at night and reduce the risk of chicks eating each other... over using white heat lamps.

For winter coop lighting, a normal light bulb works well, but if you want or need to use one... .... that totally depends on where you live (as in how far away from the equator, so how short do your days get), how cold you get, and how you want to manage your chickens.

The reduction in day length can reduce or even stop egg laying. Depending on where you are on the globe, they might only take a 1 month laying break due to light.... or a six month laying break!

But cold also plays a big role. The colder it is, the more chickens need to eat to stay warm. If it stays below -10F for weeks at a time, it can be very hard on them to eat enough to stay warm AND to lay eggs.

So... if you live where it doesn't get too cold, but stays dark for forever... some extra day length to get them to start up laying might be very welcome!

One other thing to consider if you live where it is dark AND cold.... chickens need to eat to stay warm. A light on for 10 hours a day gives them enough time to eat well, but not so much light that they are forced into laying.

 

[Hokum Coco]

You are correct on the lighting issue. Depending on how many chickens you are housing in most backyard situations it is not worth the bother economically.
In my opinion it is not healthy for your birds. Extra lighting provides extra stress on your birds and shortens their lives and may cause health issues in the long run. Some disagree with my findings.
It only becomes feasible in large commercial settings you will find. Personally I am delighted with the best manure available from chickens for my vegetable garden anything else they provide is just an added bonus.

 

[aart]

Question: Best lighting for egg production?
What do I need?

Thanks

To add your real general location.

Some light, some don't. You'll see plenty of opinions and claims.
Do some research and decide for yourself.
16 hours would be max, 14 is plenty IMO, they need a dark period too.
White light is fine, I too have seen the red/orange light thing....
...logically a 'daylight spectrum' would be best.
It can definitely help, but is no guarantee(it's not like flipping a switch-haha!)
Whether the daylight length is increasing or decreasing can have an equal or greater affect.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

 

[Cindy in PA]

A 40 watt bulb, run 6 hours a day (2-8) for 30 days costs around $1 a month. I have lighted for 26 years. My birds always molt & rest after their first year & resume laying when ready. Had chickens laying eggs at 8 years old. It is a matter of choice for you & your chickens. Most times I get good egg production with lights in the winter. With my current set of chickens, I didn't get good production in their first year or this year in the winter. First time I can remember, but I guess it's a crap shoot. I do like giving them extra time to eat in the winter.

 

[Mark Whatley]

I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We have four Buff Orpingtons that are just now almost 13 1/2 weeks old. Our winters are generally characterized by mostly mild weather punctuated by occasional artic fronts that can bring frigid temps, howling winds and some snow/ice. We seldom get as low as 10-degrees, and if we do it's not for long. On any given day December through February it can be sunny and 70 or 25 with blowing snow. In the dead of winter it'll be dark at 5:30 p.m. on a clear day--earlier if cloudy. So the question about supplemental heat and light has been of interest, but after reading through here I think we probably don't need heat. Since we're in our rookie year as backyard chicken farmers we're learning as we go. The information about hens needing a break from egg production/laying was news to us. It makes complete sense. This raised another question for us: since our Buffs wouldn't be expected to begin laying until mid-November to mid-December at the earliest (based on onset of first laying for Buffs), would it be beneficial to them to provide supplemental light through the Autumn to encourage laying when their bodies are ready, having never laid before? Or, should we let them take winter off and begin laying come spring? This forum is awesome and so many good people are willing to share their knowledge and experience. I look forward to your thoughts and ideas. Thanks!

 

[aart]

since our Buffs wouldn't be expected to begin laying until mid-November to mid-December at the earliest (based on onset of first laying for Buffs), would it be beneficial to them to provide supplemental light through the Autumn to encourage laying when their bodies are ready, having never laid before?

I wouldn't bother with lights now....maybe next year.
Keep them on non-layer feed for continued growth and they'll probably start laying around Solstice.

 

[Pixiedust13]

A 40 watt bulb, run 6 hours a day (2-8) for 30 days costs around $1 a month. I have lighted for 26 years. My birds always molt & rest after their first year & resume laying when ready. Had chickens laying eggs at 8 years old. It is a matter of choice for you & your chickens. Most times I get good egg production with lights in the winter. With my current set of chickens, I didn't get good production in their first year or this year in the winter. First time I can remember, but I guess it's a crap shoot. I do like giving them extra time to eat in the winter.

Interesting , what type of chicken do you have , that is 8 and still laying Some of mine are 5 Yrs old I thought that was old . Buff brama and jersey giants . Wow 8 nice job