Lights

[bdog]

What about lights?

Should you keep lights on all the time, night and day?

Will it affect the laying and sleeping of the chickens?

Thanks,

Jimmy

PS: I guess this should be posted somewhere else, Sorry!

 

[cindy99]

I have wondered the same thing. I leave the regular light 60 watt on during the day if it is a dark dreary day out - sometimes I only leave it on until Snowflake lays her egg. I also leave a night-light on at night - it comes on by itself - I did replace the 7 watt bulb with a 4 watt so it is more of a glow. Not sure if a night light is needed but there are babies in there and it just seems like the right thing to do.

** I should mention that Snowflake is free ranging and outside most of the day - she really only comes in to lay her egg. The babies are in a pen and can be either inside or outside during the day.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Some people use lights during the shorter days of winter to help keep the chickens exposed to about 14 hours of light per day to keep them laying as they often tend to lay less during the winter. I personally do not use lights, preferring to let the chickens follow a natural rythym of slowing down the egg production and letting their bodies rest a bit. So it's all your own preference but certainly no need to keep them under lights 24 hours a day. I know I'd be pretty cranky trying to sleep with lights blazing down on me all night long!

Edited to add - Cindy99 - I used a small night lite too when mine were chicks and first moved out to the coop.

 

[ChooksChick]

I use solar holiday lights in my breeder coops that turn on in the evening and go out after a few hours. It's not enough to bolster the laying in Winter, and that's okay, as it's a well-deserved break for my pals.

The coop at home has power, and they have extra light on a timer- on at dusk in the summer, off after dark, but on early in the morning in the Winter, on for an hour after dark.

Too much light can overwork their reproductive systems.

Lights at bedtime are very, very helpful.

 

[digitS']

I don't think that chickens living so far south as Natchez, Ms would have too much need for electric lighting.

Farther north, where chickens would be roosting for 16 hours (or more) out of every 24 during the short days of Winter, lighting may be of important benefit to their health.

Cold weather means higher need for calories. Allowing the chickens to sit in the dark and not eat for many long hours doesn't seem to me to be the best way of doing things.

Steve