Lights in the coop question???

[aart]

No it's not on all night, they would never sleep.

I'm experimenting with different times. Work location and schedule is changing. Right now it's on longer at night. They were fully active last night until 9pm. We had decent weather and that will change soon enough.

So this morning I put the light on in the coop and not in the run. The barred rock came out and was scratching around in the dark without issue. Caught me off guard because everyone says they can't see in the dark and she was having a good old time.

They can see OK in low light...erratically changing the time light is on in the coop could screw up their laying cycle.

 

[jermoatc]

So birds are about 18 months old?
How is your timer set?
They will/should still continue their molt, light should bring them back into lay sooner than without it. Adding protein, especially animal protein, will help with molt and condition.

My timer comes on at 4AM and goes off at 10PM. I feed an 18% all flock feed. I have some bourbon red turkeys too.

 

[aart]

My timer comes on at 4AM and goes off at 10PM.

Too much, 14-15 hours of light is plenty...they need at least 8 hours of dark.

 

[jermoatc]

Too much, 14-15 hours of light is plenty...they need at least 8 hours of dark.

Changed my timer from 6am to 9 pm. Thanks.

 

[Melky]

Good job on coop remodel. Love the look. Fresh Paint is in order for the new look at least on outside. I love the interior design and storage space indoors. This is how I want my new coop to look.

 

[Melky]

LED is fine and considered safer less of a fire hazard with reduced energy costs.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Everything being equal an incandescent bulb is better. The light needs to be Ultraviolet light in order to stimulate a chickens' penial gland. Those curly que compact florescent bulbs will not work. Although I must say that there are supposedly some florescent lights that will work, they are expensive and the electricity saved is little if any.

crystalinks.com/thirdeyepineal.html

Chickens have a third eye of sorts in the top of their head that senses Ultraviolent light and this Ultraviolent light is responsible for regulating a hens' body functions. If it were cruel or dangerous for a hen to be exposed to large amounts of Ultraviolent light or the poor hens need a rest from laying then you also need to condemn those people who reside within 15 degrees North or South of the Earth's Equator because day length is relatively the same at those Latitudes. Come on ladies and gentlemen, condemn the people who abuse chickens by living in some of the very places that wild chickens still call home.

If my chickens were in Minnesota and I wanted them to lay I would time my supplemental lighting to come on at 2:AM and go off at 10:AM. That will leave them plenty of time from lights off to Sundown for your hens to do chicken things and go to bed with the setting of the Sun. This is a more natural or normal scenario for them to follow and this will save you electricity costs as well.

 

[aart]

Those curly que compact florescent bulbs will not work.

Funny, they've worked here for 4 years.

 

[wyoDreamer]

My florescent shop lights have worked for 4 years as well. Even when I dont' get teh spiderwebs cleaned off. Guess my chickens are defective...

 

[wyoDreamer]

My only concern about the light bulb is to get it protected from the chickens. My top hen chased one of the young ones off HER spot on the roost (the location of HER SPOT changes almost daily) and the young one jumped/flew high enough to hit the rafters.