Supplemental Light for Pastured Chickens

[aday1308]

Howdy. I am in the process of building a ChickShaw and I'm hoping to get my ladies to lay a little later into the winter. They'll be off the pasture November - February (it's wet here in Seattle), but I was hoping to find an easy way to get light to the Chickshaw during Aug-October to keep them laying into December / Jan. It doesn't seem like there are too many elegant solutions out there or I am missing something. Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

Howdy. I am in the process of building a ChickShaw and I'm hoping to get my ladies to lay a little later into the winter. They'll be off the pasture November - February (it's wet here in Seattle), but I was hoping to find an easy way to get light to the Chickshaw during Aug-October to keep them laying into December / Jan. It doesn't seem like there are too many elegant solutions out there or I am missing something. Thanks!

How old are your chickens?

 

[aday1308]

How old are your chickens?

They are just under 3 months old.

 

[DobieLover]

They are just under 3 months old.

They will lay through the winter. Pullets do. Hens take a break to molt and rest during the winter and should be allowed to do so.

 

[aday1308]

They will lay through the winter. Pullets do. Hens take a break to molt and rest during the winter and should be allowed to do so.

Definitely plan on letting the ladies molt. We just are pretty darn north here in the Seattle region and our days are about 8 hours long at solstice so I was thinking of doing supplemental light oct-nov and march. But if Pullets will lay well during this time, maybe I don't need to.

 

[aart]

Pullets should lay all winter.
Next year tho....might add light mid to late December, after molts are complete, to kick start laying earlier.
BUT......it can be tricky, not like flipping a switch(haha!).
Light duration must be on a timer so it is consistent....
....so power must be adequate and consistent, solar won't work unless you have a good system. AC is better.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

 

[aday1308]

Pullets should lay all winter.
Next year tho....might add light mid to late December, after molts are complete, to kick start laying earlier.
BUT......it can be tricky, not like flipping a switch(haha!).
Light duration must be on a timer so it is consistent....
....so power must be adequate and consistent, solar won't work unless you have a good system. AC is better.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

Seems slightly over priced but I was thinking about getting the LumiCoop lighting system for the Hen's winter house.

 

[Cierann]

Seems slightly over priced but I was thinking about getting the LumiCoop lighting system for the Hen's winter house.

I bought the lumicoop, but I'm not sure how to set it! Obviously, I can program the on and off, but I'm not sure what all the intensity information is. Has anyone set this up, or know of some good instructions? Pretty frustrating not to have better instructions.

 

[Rushdoggie]

I bought the lumicoop, but I'm not sure how to set it! Obviously, I can program the on and off, but I'm not sure what all the intensity information is. Has anyone set this up, or know of some good instructions? Pretty frustrating not to have better instructions.

Did you figure it out? Do you like it? I have seen some iffy reviews