Lights in the coop that AREN"T for egg production?

[Hayden Goseek]

I'm sort of confused by most of this discussion but I would almost definitely use LEDs.

Don't mean to confuse anyone with too much info. So to be clear, LED is definitely the way to go. There ALMOST as inexpensive. They run cool. They sip electricity. There versatile, color, low voltage, brightness.

LEDs have been around for decades in red, blue, green & ultraviolet. The problem was making them in 'white". Now they have taken off. Since I finished my house 12 years ago, I changed out to LED and it made a world of difference.

 

[Happy hen lover]

The non-leds are going to definitely be hotter and draw more power. If you use them, be sure there not against anything flammable (wood, plastic, etc) and be sure there is enough power.
Sorry. I forgot to hit 'Post reply".

Clarification; If you are going to use incandesant ( non-LEDs) follow these rules.

My coop has its own outlet with gfic but I might hang from rafters so there's no touching wood . Thanks for reply.

 

[MissE]

If your days are very short in the winter, like mine are, I would add some extra light in the morning just to make sure they eat enough to stay warm when it's way below 0. If I didn't have light, mine wouldn't come off the roost until after 8am. When they are back up there at 3pm because the light is fading, they don't always have enough time to eat enough. Takes a lot of calories to stay warm at -40.

 

[Happy hen lover]

If your days are very short in the winter, like mine are, I would add some extra light in the morning just to make sure they eat enough to stay warm when it's way below 0. If I didn't have light, mine wouldn't come off the roost until after 8am. When they are back up there at 3pm because the light is fading, they don't always have enough time to eat enough. Takes a lot of calories to stay warm at -40. that's when I would add the light, that's also the coldest part of day...pre sunrise.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Yes it does. I would turn on light at 4-8 in a.m. That's also the coldest part of day. As days got longer I shortened the light as they were active longer. I thought about the red rope to just add a little heat on those horribly cold nights we had this year but maybe not keep them up from sleep.

 

[Hayden Goseek]

If your days are very short in the winter, like mine are, I would add some extra light in the morning just to make sure they eat enough to stay warm when it's way below 0. If I didn't have light, mine wouldn't come off the roost until after 8am. When they are back up there at 3pm because the light is fading, they don't always have enough time to eat enough. Takes a lot of calories to stay warm at -40.

Wow! Sounds like a great idea to me. DO you also add more cracked corn to their diet? I'm told it increases metabolism but I'm no chicken nutritionist.
We're a 1/2 block south of 30*N latitude, in the city so 'cold snaps' can get to high 20's.

 

[Happy hen lover]

Wow! Sounds like a great idea to me. DO you also add more cracked corn to their diet? I'm told it increases metabolism but I'm no chicken nutritionist.
We're a 1/2 block south of 30*N latitude, in the city so 'cold snaps' can get to high 20's.

Yes I do increase corn in the form of bird feed , scratch, cornmeal , canned leftovers too.

 

[MissE]

Wow! Sounds like a great idea to me. DO you also add more cracked corn to their diet? I'm told it increases metabolism but I'm no chicken nutritionist.
We're a 1/2 block south of 30*N latitude, in the city so 'cold snaps' can get to high 20's.

I don't. If anything, I limit their food to their normal feed and no treats so they aren't filling up on "junk".

 

[kerbotx]

My coop is converted from a shed, so it has electricity, but the only light is a single bulb fixture, right by the people door. So I made a chandelier out of spare pvc pipe and LED Christmas lights. I really only use it in the Fall, as the light changes, so they can see their way inside. (I have a few stragglers who like to stay up later than everybody else!)

 

[raeanne]

Is this a thing that people do? Do the chickens like the coop as is (with natural light from windows, pop door, and vents, but still pretty dark) or would they be happier if they had a light in the coop to make it brighter during the day? I don't want to be forcing egg laying through winter, just wondering if chickens like a brighter coop better.

I have a string of Christmas lights in their run for night for cuteness and they seem to Iike that . They sleep outside in warm weather on a roost enclosed in a kennel w roof and electric fence. As for in the coop…do they like to read in there ? Might need a light for that