Red light on all night

[64Galaxie]

Hi. I have looked on here and haven't found a definite answer. My question is that is it OK to keep a red heat light on all night? All my chickens are from 24 weeks to 2 years. I turn the light on when I close up the coop at 8pm and I turn off the light at 7am. Nothing seems to be stressing them out. If I do get a timer, should I gradually decrease the time the light is on? The coop isn't all lit up, they do have 2 perches they can roost on and that is just above the light, and some dark places with no light. It is a 250 watt red heat light. Thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Is there a specific reason you're providing heat?

Chickens, like all animals, should have a dark period. They don't need heat and 250 watts of electric every night for 12 hours is an unnecessary expense.

 

[64Galaxie]

Is there a specific reason you're providing heat?

Chickens, like all animals, should have a dark period. They don't need heat and 250 watts of electric every night for 12 hours is an unnecessary expense.

Thanks, the temp does get under 10 here. It isn't even that much, the heat light only raises it about 5-10 degrees. Very dim as well. Will going from all night light to having turn on at 3am disrupt laying, or should I just gradually decrease the time period?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'd turn it off completely. It isn't bright enough to stimulate laying and 5 or 10 degrees is meaningless to the chickens.
It hit -19F last winter and the hens were fine. Most of the roosters got a fair amount of frostbite on combs but they're monster combs.
10 shouldn't be a problem for most breeds of hens.

If you want to stimulate lay with light, it needs to be bright enough at roost height to read a newspaper by.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I'd turn it off completely. It isn't bright enough to stimulate laying and 5 or 10 degrees is meaningless to the chickens.
It hit -19F last winter and the hens were fine. Most of the roosters got a fair amount of frostbite on combs but they're monster combs.
10 shouldn't be a problem for most breeds of hens.

If you want to stimulate lay with light, it needs to be bright enough at roost height to read a newspaper by.

X 2

 

[hennible]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...led-look-at-the-question-of-supplemental-heat
This is a great article about why you don't need heat until it's below minus 20F in most cases.