Should I Put A Light In My Chicken House?

[Barred Rock Boy]

Hey guys, what's up. I'm Levi, but I awnser to Chicken Boy. That's what a lot of people call me around here. I have maintained a flock of about 40 chickens since I was 8, I am 12 now. So I have 4 years of experience under my belt. However, I have never put a light in my chicken house. I want to know if it is worth it, tips and tricks and stuff like that. I would also like some ways to entertain my chickens in the pen. My pens like 30 by 10 feet, so I have plenty of room. Right now all I have is one chicken toy that is a ball with a hole on each side. You fill it with feed and it dispenses it. So thanks for the tips, and toys.

 

[Rod-T]

Hens need 14 hrs of light to keep laying. . So with shorter days.. a light on coop set by timer to achieve 14 hrs of light..
If you don't care if they lay thru winter.. they don't need light

 

[Barred Rock Boy]

Thx Bro, Yeah I run a small egg selling business and I want them to lay. If you think it is worth it I will put one in.

 

[Rod-T]

I think most have the light cone on a 2 am

 

[Barred Rock Boy]

Remember, Early Bird Gets The Worm. Do you have any ideas on toys or entertainment.

 

[Rod-T]

No sure dont.. I keep a mousetrap in there inside a small cage so chickens can't get to it. . Whenever I catch a mouse I throw that to them..they have fun with that

 

[Hokum Coco]

So I have 4 years of experience under my belt. I want to know if it is worth it,

If you find you are short on eggs it does apparently help. I personally do not bother in my operation eggs are sold only to neighbours when they are available (if the sign is out I have eggs). Eggs in my operation have a tendency to crack and freeze during the winter months the more eggs you produce during these months the more eggs will fall into this category.

I am 65 years of age and have decades of raising birds under my belt. I have roughly 24 Golden Comet hens the longest I ever been out of eggs can be measured in hours >12<24. You will find that the egg supply in any hen is a finite resource the quicker you milk the eggs out of a hen the faster it will be spent and end up in your stew pot.

On average one hen produces somewhere between 600 to 700 eggs in its life time. Lighting only effect the speed of delivery of the eggs which at the end of the day would amount to less than a year in the hens life is my guess

If you do decide extra lighting is necessary have your light on a timer to lengthen the day MAKE SURE IT IS SECURED BY 2 MEANS OF SUPPORT in case one fails especially if it is an incandescent bulb or heat lamp.

I personally raise hens as a hobby; and for their manure to enrich my vegetable garden any thing else the hens provide is merely a bonus.

Here is one BONUS NOW not many people can enjoy seeing in their back yard on a regular basis.

 

[Copper Creek]

I do keep a light in the coop. I have harsh winters here (Rocky Mountains) and I've noticed they use it a lot. For me, it was worth it because it might have saved a chicken or two and has given me a constant supply in eggs. For toys, old CDs hung up do the trick. They peck at the CDs but I haven't had any broken yet.