Lights on, now what?

[Bullitt]

No, haven't started to lay. Yes, I knew they wouldn't start until winter when I got them. We were on a two-week family vacation in late June/early July so I had to wait til July 9 to get them. Couldn't leave my babies in someone else's care. Couldn't wait til next spring, either. This had to be the year. I've waited too long!

I see.

People say they need 14 hours of light for best laying. So you only need enough supplemental light plus daylight to give them 14 hours of light. As mentioned, maybe 4 hours of supplemental light. It depends on how far north you are.

The average for a pullet to start laying eggs is about 22 to 24 weeks. You will know they are getting ready to lay eggs when their combs get bright red.

 

[christinea]

Can you hang a forage cake?  It keeps mine entertained.

I had to add light to get my pullets to start laying. It took a few weeks. I think the amount of electricity used by adding 3-4 hours of light in the morning from a small light bulb is negligible. The light only needs to be enough that you could read (if you were sitting where they roost).

I've never heard of a forage cake, but I'll look it up! Thanks.
So your hens needed some help to start laying? It sounds like some do, some don't I guess.

 

[3chickchicks]

I've never heard of a forage cake, but I'll look it up! Thanks.
So your hens needed some help to start laying? It sounds like some do, some don't I guess.

I got a forage cake from Tractor Supply. Some feed stores might have them. Somewhere on BYC is a recipe for making your own.

 

[aart]

They should have food and water any time it's light enough for them to get down off the roosts.

 

[christinea]

They should have food and water any time it's light enough for them to get down off the roosts.

That's kind of what I thought, but I'm not fully comfortable with the idea of feed up in the coop. I haven't had a rodent problem yet, but that seems like an invitation. Right now I keep feed & water and treats down below in the run.

 

[Bullitt]

That's kind of what I thought, but I'm not fully comfortable with the idea of feed up in the coop. I haven't had a rodent problem yet, but that seems like an invitation. Right now I keep feed & water and treats down below in the run.

Chickens do not need food and water during their every waking moment.

I can go a couple hours without food and water and without it even bothering me.

 

[aart]

That's kind of what I thought, but I'm not fully comfortable with the idea of feed up in the coop. I haven't had a rodent problem yet, but that seems like an invitation. Right now I keep feed & water and treats down below in the run.

I'd try it at least....you might not get rodents, or the chickens will eat them when they catch them eating their food...lol. If it becomes a problem, change the plan.

My lights come on at 3:30am, I keep food and water in the coop 24/7 so it's there when they are up, and they are eating and drinking when they are up....it's cold here and they need nutrition and hydration to stay healthy and lay eggs in the cold. My coop, totally enclosed with 1/2 hardware cloth, is in a shed...so the mice in the shed can't get to the feed in the coop....as far as I know.

Chickens do not need food and water during their every waking moment.

I can go a couple hours without food and water and without it even bothering me.

But you're not a chicken

 

[Bullitt]

I'd try it at least....you might not get rodents, or the chickens will eat them when they catch them eating their food...lol. If it becomes a problem, change the plan.

My lights come on at 3:30am, I keep food and water in the coop 24/7 so it's there when they are up, and they are eating and drinking when they are up....it's cold here and they need nutrition and hydration to stay healthy and lay eggs in the cold. My coop, totally enclosed with 1/2 hardware cloth, is in a shed...so the mice in the shed can't get to the feed in the coop....as far as I know.


But you're not a chicken

You're right. The chickens will starve to death if they are awake for a few hours without food.

 

[aart]

You're right. The chickens will starve to death if they are awake for a few hours without food.

No, that's not what I said.

 

[3chickchicks]

It took me until about 10am one morning to realize the nipples on the water froze (I had an aquarium heater in it but they still froze). They went hours without water. They may have eaten some of the sleet that had blown into the run but they appreciated the bowl of water I brought them. I had to bring them water twice a day for a while due to our cold snap. They were fine.

If you're worried about it, then maybe you can change your setup to suit.
Mine free range but I have a run for when I need to lock them up. The run is predator proof and just big enough for them. The coop is connected to the run and doesn't have a door that closes. So when the light comes on (4:30am), they get down and go into the run for their food and water as they please. Later I go out and open the run to let them out. This keeps me from having to get up at the crack o'dawn every day and I don't worry about whether they can get to food and water or worry about frost bite from water being in the coop. They have a forage cake hanging for entertainment until I get up to let them out. It's not a food source for them, strictly entertainment.
My feed is out 24/7. I made a PVC feeder and had to make several adjustments (including the type of feed they were on) in order to keep them from spilling it. It's slick PVC that rodents can't climb and nothing is spilled. I don't even have ants (which, IMO are better at finding food than any rodents) coming in.
Their water doesn't touch the ground and I use the nipples.

I only have 4 so it didn't cost much to build a solid run and coop. I'm also in the city with a privacy fence so dogs, foxes, coyotes aren't really a big problem for me. I've seen opossums and raccoons. Those are probably the strongest and most persistent predators I'd have a run in with.