Lighting in the coop

[MysteryChik]

MysteryChik said.
So I guess what I am trying to figure out is.. is it going to be like this until spring? or will they start laying again eventually during fall/winter, (after molting or whatever) just not as often?

After molting hens lay fewer, but larger eggs. If they have enough light, they will lay after molting. I like 18 - 20 percent protein year round. Higher protein will help them through molt a little quicker.
MysteryChik said
I have asked this question before with no answer. "if a chicken needs 15 hours of daylight a to lay an egg, and they don't get that in one day, but instead say over 2 days. Can those two days worth of daylight produce one egg or no?"

No. But there are exceptions. A high production hen like my five 19 month old Golden Comets gave me 28 eggs last week. I only add light in the morning at 5am. Sunset today was 4:24.
My girls had a partial molt late summer.
I use a daylight spectrum LED in the coop.View attachment 1193468. I also light up under my raised coop and their pen.View attachment 1193469.View attachment 1193477 GC

forgot to mention: only my PBR and my silver laced have ever molted. They are all about a year and a half. My Golden comets, EE, Buffs, and my one Maran are all 8 months. 9 of my hylines are ten months, and the other 12 are 20 weeks not sure what if anything that has to do with molting. (I know they molt once a year but i have heard before that the first molt sometimes doesn't happen until the second year depending on age of chickens. not sure how true that is)

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I use warm spectrum white LED on a timer. You need enough light to allow you to read a newspaper in the coop. (if you wanted to do that!) When I add light, I add some in the morning, and some in afternoon/evening. Otherwise, if it was all in the morning, it would be coming on at 2:30 AM.

My flock is laying pretty well this season, with a lot of new pullets, so I may not add any light at all.

I have my light come on about 2:40 AM No roosters to crow so I figure why not?

Gary

 

[MysteryChik]

I have my light come on about 2:40 AM No roosters to crow so I figure why not?

Gary

I have one but no close neighbors..

 

[aart]

(I know they molt once a year but i have heard before that the first molt sometimes doesn't happen until the second year depending on age of chickens. not sure how true that is)

First adult molt happens around 18 months of age(give or take a couple months).

You'll probably need multiple light fixtures for a 21x17 coop.
Do you have power to the coop?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

forgot to mention: only my PBR and my silver laced have ever molted. They are all about a year and a half. My Golden comets, EE, Buffs, and my one Maran are all 8 months. 9 of my hylines are ten months, and the other 12 are 20 weeks not sure what if anything that has to do with molting. (I know they molt once a year but i have heard before that the first molt sometimes doesn't happen until the second year depending on age of chickens. not sure how true that is)

Chicks molt and regrow feathers several times as they mature so they are starting with a new coat by the time they're about 15 weeks. Due to that, most breeds wait to molt till their second autumn. Then they'll molt every year thereafter and that is accompanied by a dearth of eggs.

 

[MysteryChik]

First adult molt happens around 18 months of age(give or take a couple months).

You'll probably need multiple light fixtures for a 21x17 coop.
Do you have power to the coop?

I don't right now besides a drop cord. But we have an electrician friend coming to help us install some

 

[amiachicknorwat]

The time change isn't the impetus. It is whether day length is increasing or decreasing - which doesn't jump an hour at a time.
Chickens don't have clocks. They go by the amount of daylight they witness which changes incrementally about a minute or two per day. The day after daylight savings time ended, is only a couple minutes shorter than the day before.
Most breeds of pullets will lay right through their first winter, but all breeds, whether hyline or something else won't lay year round continuously. That's impossible because they have to molt annually beginning in their second autumn. (some earlier)
Since building a new winter coat that is 93% protein interrupts the ability to kick out a big lump of protein encased in a calcium carbonate housing every day, they can't do both at the same time. All chickens will take an annual break from laying. Changing flock dynamics stresses birds out and that stops ovulation. It is likely a combination of things but most importantly declining day length. They'll all start up like gangbusters after the winter solstice.
If you do add light, add about 30 minutes at a time every week. Jump starting light by adding several hours immediately adds its own problems.
Chickens aren't vending machines.

Hi, I found this thread searching for how much daylight needed to trigger laying or somesuch string brought me here. We just passed the 12/12 mark at spring equinox. I was just wondering the timing to put birds out in a distal mobile coop with no lighting. I do this every summer, but normally I do it later. Now I want to jump the gun, so to speak, cuz we were just gifted 14 birds (active layers). I don't think our bisected coop is overcrowded as much as just wanting to spring fwd myself . Thanks if you know how much daylight, natural or artificial, is needed for laying? Thanks, Nick

 

[aart]

Now I want to jump the gun, so to speak, cuz we were just gifted 14 birds (active layers).

If these birds are already laying, are they under artificial lights?
Moving them could stop their laying until they get used to the new place, no matter how much light they get. There are other factors as well.

Thanks if you know how much daylight, natural or artificial, is needed for laying?

13-14 hours.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.