Lights in the coop.

[Carrieres102584]

Does anyone keep lights on in their coop?

 

[JeffOeuf]

I've got ideas rattling around in the back of my mind for a light that comes on early AM and stays on a couple hours after dark to keep the girls on a late summer schedule all winter long.

 

[Carrieres102584]

I've got ideas rattling around in the back of my mind for a light that comes on early AM and stays on a couple hours after dark to keep the girls on a late summer schedule all winter long.

I was thinking the same thing. I took apart a few aquirium lights I've been playing with.

 

[Aquaman05]

I'm just getting back into chickens but in the past I always ran heat lamps in the winter and in the summer just switch to a regular light bulb at low wattage

 

[Carrieres102584]

I'm just getting back into chickens but in the past I always ran heat lamps in the winter and in the summer just switch to a regular light bulb at low wattage

But do you leave it on all night?

 

[JeffOeuf]

Nope. I'm no chicken expert, but every animal has a cycle that naturally follows light and darkness. One of my chicken books specifically mentions that white light heat lamp bulbs running 24/7 will cause chicks to become aggressive. I've read that you can keep egg production going better through the winter with lights that come on about 6am, go off when the sun actually comes up and then come back on in the evening keeping it light until 6:30 or 7pm.

There are a lot of folks here who will tell you they don't need heat in the winter, except in the worst conditions. I'm buying into that, but I like the idea of giving them the light hours they want to stay productive. I feel the same way...I hate it when the days get short.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I have wired my coop for both a lighting system and a thermostat for a heating system.

 

[Imp]

I have electricity in the coop.
I have a light on 24/7, and heat if I need in the winter. Plus anything else I might want to plug in.

Imp

 

[Gigiintheforest]

Nope. I'm no chicken expert, but every animal has a cycle that naturally follows light and darkness. One of my chicken books specifically mentions that white light heat lamp bulbs running 24/7 will cause chicks to become aggressive. I've read that you can keep egg production going better through the winter with lights that come on about 6am, go off when the sun actually comes up and then come back on in the evening keeping it light until 6:30 or 7pm.

There are a lot of folks here who will tell you they don't need heat in the winter, except in the worst conditions. I'm buying into that, but I like the idea of giving them the light hours they want to stay productive. I feel the same way...I hate it when the days get short.

Oh shoot - I've been leaving a regular low watt bulb on as the evenings are cool. My chickens are probably turning into godzillas about now!!!

 

[JeffOeuf]

Oh shoot - I've been leaving a regular low watt bulb on as the evenings are cool. My chickens are probably turning into godzillas about now!!!

I doubt it, but I did notice my 5 squabbled with each other a little less once I started turning off the lights at night. Not that they squabbled a lot before...they're a pretty calm clutch, it seems.