Using Light to Stimulate Egg Production

[tish_matt]

Ever since Dec. we have bee getting about an egg a day from our 10 chickens. Can i set up a light in the coop to make them lay more? What kind of cycle should it be on? We get into 20's sometimes at night but mainly in 30's and around 40 or so in the day. I noticed on the last few warm days we had we got 2 and 3 eggs.

Im needing my egg sandwhiches on the cold mornings not to mention i want them to start paying for their own food again

 

[Kevin565]

Yes the light will stimulate laying but it could take a few weeks to start. How many hours of light are you getting already without any added light?

 

[mrkep]

My 11 Buckeyes have a light on a timer, on @ 6 AM, off @ 8PM ever since they have been in the coop. They are 22 months old now. Egg production is down to 5-6 / week from 8-10 / day last October. They have all molted and re-feathered, guess they are waiting for warmer weather.
mrkep

 

[azygous]

I have excellent production from my 12 layers, average nine eggs a day, by adding two extra hours to the regular ten hours of natural daylight we get at this latitude. I put a 250 watt red heat lamp on a timer to come on two hours before dawn. It also does double duty to provide heat during the coldest hours.