Lighting in the winter

[kowell275]

Hi I would like to see what people have for lighting in the winter to keep there egg production up. I am wonting to get an idea what works I live in wa so we get cold and less daylight.

 

[MareeZoCool]

Hi Kowell,

from COOL COUNTRY ~Ohio. I didn't use extra lighting during the winter months. Mu Black Andalusian hen and one RIR kept laying daily. I think allowing them to get out into as much sunlight as possible helped keep my girls on schedule. Good luck!

 

[Nicole01]

We installed a 100 watt light on the coop ceiling. The light has a glass cover and a wire cage protecting it. Our coop is inside our garage. We were unable to cut out a window on the side of the house. The ventelation is inside the garage. Our coop is 100% pitch black if both doors are closed and the light is off. We are also planning on putting a heat lamp with a good bulb during the coldest of tempatures. Hopefully this will help keep the egg production going well through the winter months.

 

[pheasantfreak]

we have to use a light here they just dont get enough light so its hooked up to a timer but it also keeps the coop a little warmer

 

[kowell275]

can i see photos of sum of the setups pleese

 

[Fred's Hens]

A very simple design is light, working off a timer. A simple "trouble light" or "drop light" that mechanic used to use works well and are inexpensive. The little timers are only $10 or so and typically sold to control Christmas lights.

I do not push my hens through the winter. I don't have the light on much. It's only 40 watts, but that's enough. I have it come on at 5 am. It goes off at 4:30 pm so as not to catch them unaware of the approaching darkness. That's their cue to go to the roosts. Our winter days are very, very short. Supposedly, lights should illumine for 14+ hours for maximum egg production, but I think 12 hours is enough. They need to sleep, rest and use their energies for keeping warm. Production drops some, but nothing horrible.

 

[Ole rooster]

What does pushing the laying season beyond what we would call normal have to do with egg production over her lifetime , if anything?

 

[Fred's Hens]

Pushing them to lay heavy, all the time, 365, will indeed shorten their laying career. Some folks contend that a chicken only has X amount of eggs in her for her lifetime. Since they eat 365, those whose interest lies in egg production as a priority, go ahead and maximize the the FOOD IN to EGGS OUT ratio. This is a management decision. I need "some" production out of them in the winter, but I choose not to push them anywhere near to the max. Hope that helps.

 

[Nicole01]

I never thought a heat lamp would push the egg laying??? We are really concerned of the temps when it's -20F. This is our first flock and we don't have any eggs yet. Our coop has zero windows, so we needed a nice light. Someone here told me to buy a GE heat bulb vs a ceramic heat emmiter, so I thought we were doing the right thing.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
It's not the heat that increases egg laying, it's the light, daylight or an ordinary light bulb. If you bought a read heat lamp (bulb) I doubt it will increase laying. If you have no window, how much ventilation do you have? And using a light to replace a window is not IMO a good idea; you need to be able to get fresh air as well as natural light in there, and they love to look out a window.