No eggs at all!

[MysteryChicken]

yes, this is very true. They need enough time to eat and drink to keep warm.


But, I’ve never heard of backyard chickens (even with supplemental light) lay year round -except for the first winter when they are still pullets. Even then, it seems they slow down somewhat and don’t lay quite like in the spring and summer. I’ve never had production hens myself, so I’m not experienced there. My heritage breeds have supplemental light, yet they slow down in the winter-even the pullets.

All of my breeds are of Heritage type, too. Despite having no supplemental lights, I still get about a dozen eggs year round from those who do continue laying during the winter.

I do still need to put in a couple windows in the mixed flock coop henhouse, for natural light. The other two coops have a window, so they have some form of light.

 

[bruceha2000]

Yes, farther north, some lighting is almost mandatory so they can eat enough to stay healthy.

How many hours a day do you think they need to be eating? Surely the 9 hours we get mid December is more than plenty.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Just fooling around with some rough numbers, but in the NE my hens would get about 1,742 hours or 72 days of darkness (rest) between November and the end of February. What did hens do before electricity?

 

[aart]

How many hours a day do you think they need to be eating? Surely the 9 hours we get mid December is more than plenty.

@Alaskan

 

[bruceha2000]

@Alaskan

OK, I can see that. But even there they have over 5.5 hours of daylight mid December. Do hens actually spend 5.5 hours a day eating?

And what else is there for a chicken to do but sleep if there is 2 feet of snow outside. It isn't like they are going to crack open a good book or surf the net while their coop is lit. Nothing to forage. Of course chickens living in the deep south have a different set of possibilities mid winter.

 

[aart]

Do hens actually spend 5.5 hours a day eating?

Of course not
But best they don't spend 18.5 hrs with no feed or water

 

[Alaskan]

How many hours a day do you think they need to be eating? Surely the 9 hours we get mid December is more than plenty.

I think it depends on the temperature.

If it gets below 0, but especially below -10 or -20F, I think they need a full 10 to 12 hours of light so that they can eat.

The only way for them to stay warm is for them to eat.

Now at 40F... sure, 5 hours of daylight is probably enough.

 

[Alaskan]

Of course not
But best they don't spend 18.5 hrs with no feed or water

Or 18.5 hours at -20 trying to stay warm with zero fuel.