the best lighting for chickens

[williamson218]

Ok i have added a light i put a flurescent 60 wat bulb but what is better green red blue or white or would a 48 in florescent light be better is more light better or is it color if anyone knows please let me know i have a 8x8 it comes on in evenings

 

[groundpecker]

First i let my birds moult then turn on my lighting scheme of 4:30 am to 7:30 am. this is usually around the end of October.


I am currently trying out different shades of CFL bulbs this winter. "23 watt CFL = 100watt edison"
I tried the orange type 2700k last winter and had decent success. This winter i am using 5000k bulbs which are more of a white bluish type.

My birds seem to be more active with the 5000k shade. They crow more, lay slightly more, and do not seem to be as sluggish.

The 2700k bulbs, they lay slightly less and are less active until natural daylight comes.

My coturnix quail are laying more regular this winter under the 5000k.

I have not tired red, green, or any other color. I have read that red bulbs may prevent "picking".

 

[CovertChickOps]

I have read various reputed sources that said everything from the size & type of bulb doesn't matter so long you can read a newspaper by it, to you need a 'warm' color light that is yellowish like the sun.

Not knowing any better, I bought 5000K "Daylight" CFL bulbs like groundpecker did, which are kind of blue-ish lights. I use a 75 watt equivalent in my 6x4' run. Our four pullets started laying November 18th at 21 weeks, and for the past 15 days we have gotten four eggs a day, every day. You can't ask for any more production than that. I think the important thing is to give them at least 15 hours of light/sunlight a day.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I live in Canada raised birds for years. I now have 6 Golden Comet hens 4 years old, no heat, no extra light. I get 3 eggs a day as a rule. They supply my personal use for eggs. I heard of too many coops burning down due to electrical fires, I look at my hens as a finite resource. You may get extra eggs by supplementing light but just as in a human there are only so many eggs given to each body. My eggs supply increase as the days get longer. but has never shut down completely even through molts with my hens (knock on wood). If it is cloudy it get dark quicker in my coop. If it is sunny things stay bright in my coop. If I forget to open the pop door they stay in the coop until I get out to check on them (go figure). I have never had problems with hens that prolapsed. If I did I am sure they would still taste good with dumplings. This is just a note to let you know how things works for me in my set up. I see plenty of snow windchill and cold to rival any of your states to the south. I bring fresh warm water to my hens daily I do feed heaver thought the winter with extra corn. Oh and when the temperature goes below 32 F my water freezes.

 

[williamson218]

What about using 12 volt leds to decrease chance of fire and also a solar cell which would also reduce money from using light from the grid

 

[Kirklandchick]

We have a solar powered LED light inside the coop and another one inside the run. They both have 10 LED lights, but you can set it to run 5 or 10 lights. We have them set to 5 each so the battery lasts longer, especially if it is overcast for a few days and they don't get a good charge. They are bright enough for them to see to get around in the coop and the attached run. We don't have them on a timer, I turn them on at 5am and we have to turn them off after it gets light out. I don't turn any lights on in the evening, the two extra hours of light in the morning has kept our 6 hens laying 5-6 eggs most days. And since they are LED and solar there is no fire risk.

 

[Kirklandchick]

Here's the link for the lights we have:

http://www.farmandfleet.com/product...ge-solar-powered-shed-light.html#.UNu-DIm2Wc8

We've been very happy with them.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Hens are one of the few pets that will help make breakfast for you. They also provide you with the best manure know to man. If you are a gardener that in it's self is more than most animals can do. They also keep bugs, insects and small vermin under control. Provide you with enjoyment just watching them interact as a flock and as individuals. Their reward for being good companions for some of us is to be treated like battery hens by being forced to live in artificial conditions. Some one needs to speak up for your hens. I say let hens be hens and if you go out to the coop one day and there are NO EGGS. Make different plans for breakfast. Make PANCAKES!

I have 63 trips around the sun.
If you do not know poop from putty all your windows will fall out!

 

[Ashburnham]

I have never used more than a 15 watt bulb on a timer.
I start it in mid february as soon as the days start getting shorter,
and use it until early september.

 

[Kirklandchick]

For me personally, if I do not get out there by 5am to turn a light on for them, I find eggs laid on the poop board (which end up cracked) or on the coop floor because it was too dark for them to see to get to the nesting box. After being on the roost bars for over 12 hours, my girls are more than ready to get moving by 5am. We added the light in the morning BECAUSE of their early morning activity, not to get them to be egg producing battery hens.