Northern Michigan Winters

[Windy Lane]

Hi Everyone...I've decided that this winter I will not be supplementing light in the coop and let the girls go natural. We are in northern-lower Michigan, where October thru March, we average 10 hours of light a day; the long dark days are in December with only 8.5 hours of daylight. Curious if anyone else here has allowed their girls a break in laying?

 

[pwiker]

That is how we do it also. Egg laying drops off significantly. What I am not sure of is that if you let them take a break during the winter, do they lay longer or better? Probably a study out there that would enlighten me.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm at 44.5 lattitude. My girls would slow/stop Mid Oct, and start back up again Mid Feb. I provide light. I have read a lot of hear say about light vs. no light, but have not seen an actual study that provides enough evidence to convince me that natural lighting in our long winter season is an advantage.

 

[Folly's place]

I also provide light over winter; timed to go on at 4 am and off at 8 am. I would also like to see actual research showing problems with this approach. Anyone want to fund a university project? I have no plans to buy commercial eggs (hens under lights!) during the winter! Mary

 

[BantyChooks]

I don't provide light. I have enough chickens that the drop in production just means I cut back on selling extras. I'm going for longevity here so I figure a break is probably nice.

 

[Folly's place]

That's the question that doesn't have an answer; does winter lighting decrease longevity? It makes some sense that wild type chickens, who lay maybe thirty eggs per year, have fewer reproductive issues, but they will be dying young due to predation, so who knows? There have been, and still are, non-commercial breeders who select for longevity by breeding older birds as long as possible. I think that's a good thing, and try for that in my Belgian d'Uccle flock, and now in my Chanteclers. Is it commercial? No. Mary

 

[aart]

I've both used and not used light...my results were mixed, but so was my lighting regime. Have had birds lay all winter with light and bird molt in spring and also molt and not lay. This year I am lighting, chicks were late this year.

Longevity in laying with and without light?
Don't think a well designed(long and consistent enough) and executed experiment has ever been done.

I replace my layers every couple years anyway, so laying longevity is not an issue here, tho overall health from not 'taking a break' might be...will need more than my 4 years of experience to have conclusions on that, overall I believe some will tolerate it better than others.

 

[Folly's place]

This type of study will need private funding, or breed club funding, because it makes no difference to commercial operations, who cull annually anyway. Mary