Lights in the coop question???

[GC-Raptor]

If you want to do right by your birds and save some electricity, set your timer to come on at about 2 or 3 am then go off after sun comes up. If a chicken (or anyone) doesn't get a certain minimal about of sleep it causes health problems and can cause fighting and insanity. Even in Canada, chickens don't need lights during daylight. It probably doesn't hurt them in daylight, but it cost you extra electricity.

My old coop has 1 window on 3 sides, 3 total, plenty of light in a 20 square foot coop.
I turn the light on at 5am and turn off around nine am. No lights after I lockup the coop,10 - 20 minutes after sunset. A 200 lumens LED uses 3 watts.
My new coop has two windows on one wall, it's dim even in brite sunlight. The coop is 22.5 square feet. I use a 200 lumens LED in there too. That's equivalent to a 25 watt incandescent bulb. I leave that one on till an hour before sunset. .
A coop over 25 - 30 square feet will need a 550 lumens bulb a 40 watt equivalent incandescent, up to a 100 square foot coop. Larger buildings will need more of them 550 lumens bulbs evenly placed throughout or higher lumens. You should be able to read in all areas of the coop except the nest boxes. Hens prefer a darkened area to lay. GC

 

[aart]

@aart I thought it only stayed dark in the day up above the circle.

How many hours of daylight do yall get in winter up there?

Shortest day at my location is about 9 hours.
It's not 'dark' during the day, but often cloudy which makes it dim inside the coop.

 

[EggWalrus]

Shortest day at my location is about 9 hours.
It's not 'dark' during the day, but often cloudy which makes it dim inside the coop.

I see!

When I have enough light too!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

@aart I thought it only stayed dark in the day up above the circle.

How many hours of daylight do yall get in winter up there?

The length of day light varies from the Equator where day length is 12 hours daily regardless of the season. While North of the Arctic Circle or South of the Antarctic Circle where there is at least one day every year in which the Sun neither rises or sets. Day length then varies with the season over the rest of the Earth.

In the Tropics daylight and Sun set is very abrupt while in the Northern (or Southern Latitudes) day break and Sun set is more gradual with a longer period of half light.

 

[aart]

in the Northern (or Southern Latitudes) day break and Sun set is more gradual with a longer period of half light.

Yes, the low angle of the sun, even here, makes a big difference most the day.

 

[cmom]

I was just in the run and I could here something walking along the fence line on the other side. Leaves crunching away..

By the time I'm done running wire I will be complete surrounded by electric fence. Tomorrow I'm going to run wire around the duck house and coop for the night time.

If these predators get past my first set of wire and HW cloth, good luck on getting past the second set of wire and more HW cloth.

Do you have a picture of you setup?

 

[llombardo]

Do you have a picture of you setup?

As in lights, wire or all of it?

 

[aart]

I was just in the run and I could here something walking along the fence line on the other side. Leaves crunching away..

By the time I'm done running wire I will be complete surrounded by electric fence. Tomorrow I'm going to run wire around the duck house and coop for the night time.

If these predators get past my first set of wire and HW cloth, good luck on getting past the second set of wire and more HW cloth.

Do you have a picture of you setup?

Good topic for another thread " @llombardo 's hot wire'

 

[cmom]

This is my setup. Since this picture

was taken we have added another coop but the wires are the same.

 

[cmom]

I have a single wire across the back of the coops but the wire is welded wire not chicken wire and most predators are diggers so when they touch the wire they will know it.