To Light Or Not To Light?

[chicmom]

I light my coops, and the reason is, here in Ohio, it's dark at like 5:30 during the winter! Plus, I close the shutters on my coop so my flock doesn't get a nasty draft from those harsh winter winds. Soooo, it's very dark in there unless I turn the lights on. Plus, chickens don't eat in the dark. They just roost.

So I kind of think, Gosh, they are cold and hungry and in the dark all winter! That's really depressing.

Just my humble opinion.

Sharon

 

[painthappy]

I've got a light in there, but will probably change over to a heat lamp. It's getting cold here, and while I'm sure the girls will do just fine... I have a little girl (8 years old) that would be heart broken if anything happened.

 

[his4ever]

I put up a light, it's angled towards their coop... but it has not really helped. But they seem to enjoy the extra play time. I guess they just want a rest.

I only have four chickens. I'm hoping to build a chicken tractor (in addition to the coop/run we have) and get more chickens.

This way next winter should not be this bad, I hope!

 

[Auscal]

I choose not to use artificial light - but, I am in Southern California, and my chickens are in their first year, and, i haven't notice any drop off in production anyway. My small flock produces more eggs than we can use, so I see no point in trying to "force" them to lay more.

 

[Adopted Chickenman]

Many thanks to all who answered back. I have decided to try to light the hen house for a couple of weeks just to see if production does pick up. If there is no noticible increase I will opt out and give my girls a little rest. So far I have only received about five eggs in the past two and a half weeks from my little flock of eight. We shall see. Once again, thanks to all.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

Why do chickens lay more when they have lighting (in winter)?

Is it because they spend more time eating or maybe because the light maintains a hormone level?

Is there any science on this?

 

[branston]

I, also, went back and forth with the light thing but decided to let nature takes it's course. I did put a heat lamp on when we had our coldest day yet (I'm in VA) but they started pecking at each other on the roost! I may try an infra red heat lamp when the weather turns again

 

[Happy Chooks]

No light here. And I do hoard my eggs starting in September.

 

[teach1rusl]

My four original girls are 2+ years old, so I don't add a light. I figure they're going to be laying less anyhow (plus they've been molting), so why try to push them. My early spring bantams are laying well despite the short days, as most chickens do their first year. My fall chicks won't be laying until Feb. anyhow, no matter how much light they had...lol. So I don't extend the day. Right now we're managing to do with the one big and two bantam eggs we're getting a day...hopefully we can last until the pullets begin laying.

 

[stubbornhill]

As others have said it is really a personal choice. When our girls were moulting their laying came to a screetching halt. We did not add any light and they had a rest for about two months. We then put a light on a timer so that they have an extra couple of hours of light in the morning and at night. The light serves a dual purpose for us as we need to be doing barn chores at that time and need to see. After putting the light in, they were back to laying almost a normal amount. We get some pretty cold weather and a lot of snow. We have never heated a hen house. We loose power alot and I don't want to get them used to heat and then be without it for sometimes days at a time. That would just be wrong in my opinion. You will make the choice that is right for you when the time comes. Happy Thanksgiving!