Quote:
Huck, each hen only has so many eggs to lay in her lifetime. The number of ovum that will develop is programmed into the hen before she even hatches; much as it is with human females.
If you add light, your hens will continue to lay in the wintertime when mother nature is telling them it's time for a break. Some breeds continue to lay throughout the winter or only take a short break, as mine did.
If you add lights, you'll get more eggs sooner, but chances are those hens will stop laying at a younger age. Don't add light, you'll get less eggs in the wintertime, but everything else being equal those hens will lay for a longer period over their lifetime.
Adding light doesn't change the number of eggs the hen produces in her lifetime, only the time period in which those eggs are produced.
Laying is also hard work. It's stressful on the hen. There are those members on the forum who had experienced trouble with internal laying issues (in their hens, not themselves!) and contribute at least some of those issues to the addition of light.
So what it comes down to is why you have chickens in the first place. My chickens are first and foremost my pets. I want them to be around for a long time and it would be nice if they continue to produce at least some eggs to help pay for their upkeep.
If your primary goal is to sell or you need alot of eggs for your own use, then adding light may be necessary for you. It's an individual choice.
