Question regarding lighting

[Spitterkat]

If I let my chickens go through the molt, and they complete it before winters end. Can they be stimulated to begin producing eggs again with lighting / artificially?

 

[MeepBeep]

Yes, if you supplement lighting so that it's about a 14 hour day they will lay throughout the winter as if winter wasn't happening... This is what commercial egg producers do...

I have a timer that turns on the lights 14 hours before sunset (adjusted every few weeks/month) in the coop, that way they get a fake sunrise and they still go to roost with the natural sunset...

 

[Spitterkat]

I understand this is assuming they havent been through the molt, what about if they go through it / complete it before winters end, can they be stimulated to lay again before spring?

 

[MeepBeep]

Yes, for all they know when there are longer days it's spring/summer again and their bodies will kick into gear... You obviously still have to give mother nature a little time to change the body chemistry so expect a delay of about 2 weeks after their new feathers come in after the molt before they start laying again if you are supplementing the light...

 

[centrarchid]

Welcome.

Molt will be complete by onset of winter. Egg production will resume at about that time as photo-period will again be on the increase. This all assumes birds not stressed nutritionally or with respect to temperature. Your location not indicated but if high latitude then supplemental lighting may be worth considering to speed onset of lay.