Lighting question(s)

[stifflej]

I want to be able to keep my hens laying all winter, and know that i will need to provide artificial light come September. Question is, what type of light bulb do I need to do this? I would prefer to use a light that uses a standard light socket (have a bunch of them). Is it something I can get from lowes, or would I need to get it from the local feed store? Also, I would i be able to use the same bulb to keep chicks (cornish x) warm before I need to put it in the coop?

Thanks.

 

[newchickmom]

For lighting, I just use a 13 w screw-in florescent that fits a standard light fixture.
For heat, I use a red 250 w heat light hung over the roosts.

 

[LauraSBale]

Your best bet would be a spectrum light, I know HOme Depot sells them for regular light sockets. It would be on the same order of a plant light, this way its more of a natural light, like the sun. plus they use less electric, and last a lot longer.

what I do is I add up how many hours they are missing of Sunlight, from summer hours.

example: the sun come up at 6:30 a.m. and sets at 9:30 p.m. in summer hours.

when winter comes the sun comes up a 7:30 a.m. or later and sets at 7:30 p.m. or earlier.

your losing any where from 3 to 5 hours of natural light,
I will give them 3 hours light, and if they are laying good, i will stay that way if not i keep add a 1/2 hour. until they are laying normally.

I turn the light on when they go into the coop at the end of the day, so they will have contuse light for the next 3 to 5 hours, and then dark for their normal sleeping time.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ? GETS DARK AT 5:30 PM

 

[LauraSBale]

Well then you just go by when it gets dark where you live.
as i said i was giving example of how to calculate hours that you need supplement light.

 

[rooster-red]

Some breeds don't need artificial light to continue to lay through winter, such as BR's, RIR's and BO's.

What breeds do you have?

 

[stifflej]

(5) RIR, (5) Black Sex Links and 4 White Leghorns...