Lighting for Hen House

[amylynnna]

In the past, I've had lots of success using a cheap red light bulb to get my hens to lay through the winter. Red bulb is broken, will a compact flourescent work as well? We've had it out for a week, and only 20% of grown hens are laying. Should we increase the time it's on (at 14 hrs/day now) or change to a different type of bulb?

 

[Den in Penn]

A compact fluorescent should work. I use regular fluorescent tube in mine. That 20%of the hens are laying may be due to something else. How old are they? Have they been stressed by say heat? Are they molting?