Supplemental light for winter laying

[ranchhand]

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I guess I am part of the holier than thou group, then.

18 years of raising chickens, never any supplemental light. I like to let them rest a bit in the winter, though I do get plenty of eggs since I am southern. Our days seem pretty short to me in January.....I had a BA hen lay for 14 years with that regimen, and that was a little farther north than here.

To each his/her own.

 

[speckledhen]

woodmort said:

One group likes to allow their birds to have a winter "rest" period, won't force them and, usually adopt a holier-than-thou attitude about it.

I'm tired of hens dying from internal laying, therefore I do not provide lighting during winter. They are predisposed to reproductive malfunctions anyway, more especially hatchery stock in the most common breeds. Figure I won't push them and it may put off their expiration date a bit. Frankly, I'm not sure how that qualifies as "holier than thou".

If woodmort had had my experience, he might sing a different tune. Sure, it's possible that not adding light won't make much difference, but if there is a slight chance it will help, I won't ever be adding any supplemental lighting.

I know this is the internet, but I think I caught a little derision in that comment in the quote box above.

Most of mine continue to lay through winter anyway, albeit, at a slightly reduced rate. I don't care if folks want to use extra light or not, but I won't. Your birds, your business.

 

[Countrywife]

Well, I am in the no light category, I'm not very holy about it, I just figure God is smarter than me, and he designed em. I do want to point out that the southern United States is still in the same hemisphere as the northern ones, and we do get short days and long nights in the winter. There is no appreciable difference in the amount of daylight/night in north v south United States, so, our only consistancy is that we have the same hours you do.

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

I have Buff Orpingtons and personally I do not feel the need to supplement light for them in the winter months. Last year their production only went down from about 22 eggs a day to 19 eggs a day. I do use a red heat lamp over their roost for warmth, but this does not simulate daylight.

I live in Northern Montana so we have a lot less light then most of the USA in the winter and temperatures that stay at -40 for weeks, so, I put a southern facing window in the coop for more natural light when the weather forces them to stay inside.

As for these comments,
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I really think you are being rude to classify those of us that chose to have a differing opinion from yours in to a specific catagory. I to have my chickens for eggs, not pets, and I still prefer to let nature do her thing!

 

[pcord]

I just want you all to know that I don't use additional light AND I feel like I'm holier than the rest of you!

 

[TheMainException]

 

[woodmort]

Sorry if you took offense but I posted to at least 4 different threads on this topic in the last couple of weeks and was told in each that I was overdoing it by forcing my chickens with extra light in the winter--the implication being I was abusing my birds. I've been keeping heavy weight birds for 25 years--RIR, BR, EE, BO, both red and black sex links and a few other odds and ends--while using the lighting method I've outlined. In that time I have never--and I mean never--lost one to laying problems (with the exception of some of the EE's all were hatchery birds). I'm not talking 24/7, egg laying factory type lighting but keeping the light at about where it would be in midsummer--the birds acclimate to it very well, seem to thrive giving me eggs in return and that's what their job is. I'd recommend it to anyone that asks but I'm not a fanatic about it. If you don't want to use it, fine, but don't be telling someone that is that they're doing something that will hurt their birds.

BTW, until I lost them to a weasel last spring I had a combination of 15, 5/6-year old EE's and BSL that were giving me a 10 eggs a day and all had been on this regiment since they were chicks.

Also where I live we vary from about 15-1/3 hrs of sunlight in June to 9 in December as opposed to, say Miami that goes from 13.75 to 10.5 if you live in Montana it is 15.75 to 8-2/3. In Thailand ( an area where the chicken originated) varies from 15 to 13. So pick a number and go with it.

 

[MakNugget]

I don't think woodmort meant to make a blanket statement but there are plenty of HTT folks that are set in their ways over many topics quick to judge others intentionally or not. It happens in any forum and can get a bit tiresome at times.

I've personally benefitted from wise words and advice from many of you as well as Woodmort, and I leave it up to personal judgement and research to figure out what is best for my flock. I think we all do the same to some degree.

I personally have a fluorescent shoplight fixture in the coop set to a timer, on during normal summer hours. I initially set it up without the fixture, and an inexpensive solar light for if it got too dark. Well, since the location of the coop was in a shady area, the coop was just too dark all the time. The solar shed light works but doesn't last or hold much charge. I just use one tube instead of two, and it works well for us. The lights are on long enough for then to move about and greet them before work with treats, and it's on long enough for them to do their business after returning to the coop and settling in before lights out. This set up works great for me and my birds. YMMV of course.

 

[BirdBrain]

Well, I guess I fall in the LIGHT 'EM UP category. Where I live in Alaska, we get from 5.5hrs in winter to 21 or so in the summer. I don't think 5.5 hours is long enough for those birds to get enough to eat to stay warm. Plus, if I am going to be feeding them all winter at the inflated price of feed, they better be popping out some eggs to justify their existance. Woodmort, I like your posts. Don't let a little thing like this get you down.

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
With all due respect, I can't think of a single BYCer, myself included, that has a "holier-than-thou" attitude about not providing supplemental lighting. I do however see alot of folks on the pro-light side stumbling all over themselves to justify adding light. If you don't feel bad about adding light, then why justify it; just do it. I raise my birds the way I see fit, because they are MY birds. You are free to raise yours the way you prefer. I don't tell people that they have to raise their birds MY way. I only state why I choose to do what I do.
NO need to slam other folks because they don't subscribe to your slant on chickenkeeping.

Well said, Gritty, well said.....

I'm in the HTT group!

I only venture the reasons I do not use supplemental lighting when a newbie asks why one should or should not do so. They need to know both sides of the coin so they can make an informed choice. If that makes me holy, then I'll gladly accept that moniker!

I strive to be more holy each day and don't find it to be a bad thing.