To Light or not to Light?

[Metanoia]

As a general question this is like asking "how long is a piece of string?"

Without knowing factors of the individual location, temperature, coop design, etc... how can anyone answer this except from their own personal opinion of their own chickens?


For me, in australia, I wouldn't dream of lighting my hens. They'll sort themselves out and do what they like. But they won't be cooped up in a near lightless small area throughout winter either as our winters aren't very harsh at all... mine just get a little wet if they choose not to get out of the rain.

 

[Balfour Girl]

Mine had their first taste of snow the other day and I think they were really offended. They kept looking in at me through the sliding doors as if to say, "Lonnie, make it go away!" My rooster was soggy, but the girls remained fluffy and beautiful... maybe they stayed under cover...

 

[ella]

I don't use light either. I not only had to deal with peritonitis which is a heartbreaking and horrible condition, but also extreme aggression.

Yes some chickens naturally live in contions with little variation in natural lighting, they also have an option to be outdoors during those hours.

My hens were stuck in the coop (which had more than the recommended floor space) for many more hours than they are in the summer. As a result they went nuts on each other, feather picking and fighting. It was a constant brawl in the coop.

Constant laying is very stressfull for both mind and body, they need to be more aggressive to get the top spot in the pecking order and first pick of the food. Lights in winter just aggravated them.

It's a whole big world out there and ther simply is no one way to do things. It's going to depend on your breeds, location and how you want to manage your flock. Good luck.

 

[Balfour Girl]

I'm knocking on wood, but I've been really, really lucky with my chickens not getting nuts on each other. I've had 2 hens, then one hen and two roosters, then two roosters, and now a rooster and two hens... and they've always (again knocking on wood) gotten along really well... having said all that, they are about to spend their first winter ever in a tiny coop (40 square feet, 3 birds) so we'll see what happens. I've got lights for warmth and light...

 

[ella]

Roosters help ALOT in keeping the peace, mine will always break up fights.