Periodic (alternate day) supplemental light?

[salex]

Greetings! I hope the flocks are keeping warm. We are experiencing an Arctic blast up here in n. Utah, and its getting into the double negatives at night, but the hens seem to be doing OK in the coop.

We have 3 older (~2.5 yo) hens and 5 pullets. Is it possible to supplement light every other day to encourage egg production at ~50%, while still providing 'rest' during our cold winters? I'm thinking this would mess with their hormones that trigger egg laying, but thought I'd reach out. We'll just have to get better at freezing eggs for the winter dearth.

Thanks! Alex

 

[NatJ]

I would not supplement light on alternate days. I think you are right that it would mess their hormones that trigger egg laying, and I'm afraid the effect might not be good.

You might try supplementing just a small amount of light, if you are hoping to trigger some egg production but not full summer levels. For example, a light that goes on at sunup and goes off at sundown (so they have brighter light even on cloudy days, but no more hours.) Or a light that goes on an hour before sunup, and off after the sun is properly up (so they get one extra hour per day.)

Or you could just be patient. We are past the winter solstice (shortest day), so daylength is increasing now. Some people are reporting increased eggs already, so your pullets might not be too far behind.

If you really want 50% laying, maybe split the chickens into two groups and provide light to one group (aiming for 100% production with them), while leaving the others without supplemental light (complete rest, for as long as nature allows.) Maybe split them by ages, lighting the pullets and not the hens, or vice versa.

 

[fluffycrow]

While I definitely don't get similar Temps during the winter, in all of my years of chicken keeping I've never used lights. I like to think of winter as the season for hens to reserve and replenish their strength/minerals/...etc, and forcing them to lay can stressful, depending on the chicken obviously. Since you'll be experiencing extreme cold, my thinking would be to let them store their energy to battle the extreme temperatures. Now, I believe it would be far worse to supplement light on alternate days, it would mess up their hormones way more than you'd like

 

[Mrs. K]

I am not too sure. We have some very dark days here, in a sow storm, followed by bright sunshine.

But personally - they have had months off! So if you want to add a little light now, I don't think it would hurt anything. Think of those people down near the equator. Their chickens are fine.

I don't add light, cause I don't have electricity at the coop. I strongly considered adding battery light, but mine started laying this week. Feels so good to get eggs again! I have looked back, and get eggs starting anywhere from January to February, so about a 6 week window.

But the age of your birds will begin to tell against you, they will start later and later each spring, and quit earlier and earlier each fall. Add some chicks.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Is it possible to supplement light every other day to encourage egg production at ~50%, while still providing 'rest' during our cold winters? I'm thinking this would mess with their hormones that trigger egg laying

No, it would not work like that.

If you really want 50% laying, maybe split the chickens into two groups and provide light to one group (aiming for 100% production with them), while leaving the others without supplemental light (complete rest, for as long as nature allows.) Maybe split them by ages, lighting the pullets and not the hens, or vice versa.

There^^^ ya go!

 

[CKfarm22]

https://the-chicken-chick.com/supplemental-light-in-coop-why-how/