No Egg again today so I'm lighting up the coop

[bobbieschicks]

I strung the string lights and put them on a Christmas tree timer. We'll see how well it works - I have it set to go on 5am off 7am, then on 4 pm off 7 pm and hopefully that will be enough time for egg making purposes. I made a few other changes - reclaimed my storage area since I don't have any babies to brood and changed the layers to layer feed - I've put pellet Layena w/Omega 3 in the large feed container and raised it high enough so the babies hopefully can't get into it. I put the oyster shell bag in the coop and cut a big hole in it for easy access. It looks like Christmas in there

The rooster likes the mood lighting - he's already made his move on my layer.

 

[krcote]

You want all of your lit hours to be in the morning. You don't want the lights suddenly to go off on your birds who may be milling around in the coop minding their own business and not yet on the roosts at night. It will lead to much confusion. So if you want a total of about 14 hours (the recommended) than be sure to add that many lit hours before the sun rises and allow your birds to go to bed with the sunset. Also, I am not sure how well it will work out that you didn't start lighting them as the days were getting shorter? I have only done it that way, not starting later in the season. Good luck! I hope you get some eggs!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Quote:
So I would have to have the lights come on at 2 am to get 14 hrs of daylight? Won't that make my rooster crow earlier?

 

[anderson8505]

I just added two or three hours at night. They put themselves to bed anyway, and I am getting more eggs than before the light. Experiment, do what works for your chickens. Just be wary they don't start a party with those fancy lights! See the Stan the Man party thread...

 

[laseterlass]

Quote:
So I would have to have the lights come on at 2 am to get 14 hrs of daylight? Won't that make my rooster crow earlier?

YUP it would. My light comes on at 3 am and goes off at 5 pm. I leave an outside light on for another hour so they can see to get to the perch

 

[krcote]

Quote:
So I would have to have the lights come on at 2 am to get 14 hrs of daylight? Won't that make my rooster crow earlier?

My rooster never did? Maybe I was lucky? He waited until the sun came up and everyone went outside for the day to make his ruckus. I only had the one rooster, so I can't say what another one might do?

 

[RonB]

I'm in my third winter of having chickens. the first year I put a light in the coop. but not last year or this year. I want to give my older girls a rest. I have three girls that just plan DON'T lay an egg at all, I have four that are molting, out of the remaining 20 I get 9 to 15 eggs a day with NO light. half my flock is around 18 months the other half are 8 months.
when I picked out my chickens, I picked good winter layers!
When I had my BR rooster, he would crow 24/7 WHENEVER he felt like it! I would hear him out in the barn at 3:00am crowing his head off. if there were people in the yard he would crow all the time!

 

[bobbieschicks]

They all went inside around 5pm when the outside light was fading. The bigs went up on the roost and the babies went to huddle on the floor by the door. The automatic coop door closed at 6pm and everyone was right where they had been earlier. The light went off at 7:25pm and everyone was still in their same spot. The interesting part will be in the morning. The auto door opens at 6am which is about 30 minutes before daybreak. But they might want to come out early if it's light inside the coop. Guess I'll see tomorrow. My rooster usually crows when he wants to come out of the run and free range.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Got an egg today. Maybe it was the light, time will tell.

Also no wild parties last night or this morning. I did change the auto door so it will close at 5:45pm and open at 7:00am. I'll see how that goes. Considering tarping outside run to keep weather warmer inside coop and chicks dry this winter.

 

[OmyChickens]

It took my chickies two nights to get used to artificial lighting. they were pulling at insulation and kicking up straw and pine shavings all over the place!

I threw a bit of scratch and whatnot into the mess and that seemed to keep them content until it was officially bed time. Now they have no problem with the lights. I have mine go on at 545 and off at 800. (with some hours off in between)

I agree with krcote though.. I wouldnt start lighting a coop in the middle of the short days if i could help it. its definitely better to ease them into it so as not to stress them out. but it can be done successfully.

good luck!