more light needed?

[hensonly]

Hi,

I know pullets start laying between 4 - 6 months old. Because of a hatchery "oops", I didn't get my chicks until the last of April. So they've just turned 16 weeks this week, and we're already getting less than 14 hours of daylight. Will they start laying on time or do I need to get light out there?

Also, will they do a fall molt this year?

Thanks

 

[BJ]

No they will not molt this year. It is always helpful to give the girls light when the days shorten in order to keep the eggs coming. Your girls may still be too young though. It may be another month or so. Just be patient. What is the breed? Some are slower than others.

 

[hensonly]

Quote:
They were ordered as RIR pullets, but turned out to be gold sex links, except for the two that turned out to be roosters!

Anyway, I didn't expect them to lay now, I'm looking ahead to the even shorter days of October - but last night when I went out to do the evening chores, I found an egg!!!!

So I guess they will at least start - I will get light out there as soon as I can. We have to run electricity to a nearby outbuilding, so we plan to run another line to the coop. It just won't be right away.

Thank you for your reply, I wan't sure when the first molt happened - I'm glad to know I don't have to worry about it this year.

 

[BJ]

Congratulations! Our first batch of chickens didn't start laying until right about this time of year...maybe even September. I'm happy that it "happened" for you!!! Just a 60 watt bulb for 14 hours of light should be sufficient to keep them laying in the winter. You can you a timer to turn the bulb on and off.

 

[MissPrissy]

Becareful when adding artificial light to the pullets. It is best to add the light in early morning and NOT in the evening. They need to go to roost naturally with the setting sun to have a normal life routine. Adding too much light for too long and not letting them experience the natural occuring cycles of day and night can cause them to ecome spent far sooner than normal - meaning they will burn out and not produce eggs for as long in their life time.

There are many threads on lights and timers in the archives.