Too Much Light

[fischer]

I am gradually slowing down the crazy feather plucking with my flock. I am wondering if they are possibly getting too much light. I have a heat lamp on in their coop all of the time. Too Much? Maybe I could put it on a timer.

Thanks for any tips.

 

[silkiechicken]

If you have the light on all the time or if it is too warm, they may be getting stressed and pecking. Maybe if you want to keep a light in there, put it on a timer and use a fluorescent bulb? Unless of course they are chicks and need the heat.

 

[CUDA]

Are you talking adult birds? If so, they don't need a heat light at all. If you want to use one though, try a red one. Good luck!

 

[fischer]

I am using a red bulb. The birds are probably about 6 months old. Mostly using it for heat. I am in Wisconsin and it is BURRR cold right now. Below zero this morn. The coop is insulated. With the heat lamp the temperature at the roost height is at about 40 degrees. Maybe we could close up their hatch door at night and turn off the light. They may just not be getting proper rest with the light on.

 

[CUDA]

Well, I live in Michigan, so I feel ya! I don't put heat out for any birds in full feather, but I keep them dubbed . If you are using a red light, light shouldn't be a problem then. If you are having feather picking problems, you might want to raise your protein level in your feed. Good luck!

 

[fischer]

I am supplementing their layer feed with black sunflower seed and catfood and have added Avia charge to their water. The pecking is much better, just trying to do everything possible to break this!

 

[fischer]

Read the link on dubbing...YOWCH! Learning something new everyday! I have 2 Brown Leghorns, 2 Silver Wyandottes, 2 RIR and 2 Easter Eggers. The Wyandotte wattles are already pretty short, the others don't have much of a wattle except for the leghorns. Really...just cut it off!

 

[CUDA]

Yep, up north, if you don't dub, the weather will do it for ya!

 

[hooligan]

Add some cracked corn or scratch to the food mix. It will help them warm up.
Is there a safe way to put a space heater in your coop? Like hanging it from the ceiling?

 

[CUDA]

Yep, your right on with that, scratch grains, or even whole corn mixed in the feed in the winter time is the ticket. They build more heat in their bodies trying to digest it. Just don't give them that in the hot summer months, or you will burn them up.