What kind of timer for coop light early morning?

[chattykathy306]

The timers I have don't appear to be capable of meeting my needs for the coop. I want one that will go on around 4 AM, to give a couple extra hours daylight to promote egg-laying. Any recommendations? These are photoelectric timers. Seems I have bought the wrong kind of timer. Help! I look forward to the first egg around Christmas, but probably not until spring if I can't get some light in the coop. My husband has been plugging in the light when he leaves for work at 4, but he gets to sleep in the other 3 days of the week. Hate to think we have to get up to turn on the light those other 3 days. I guess I had thought that it is better to have that extra light in the morning, rather than at night. Is this true? If I could light the coop at night, then the timers would work just fine.

 

[tnsred]

I don't have an answer but I have the same problem! The timer I have will only stay on a certain amount of hours after dusk, or all day. I'll keep reading to see if there's an answer!

 

[Den in Penn]

The timer I use is a 24 hour clock timer with leavers for every half hour that can be set for on or off each half hour. My coop is really a pen in the barn that needs light during the day so it stays on all day But I could set it for a couple of hours in the morning then off and a couple more in the evening. I have heard of putting a timer in the outlet set for the lenght of light you want then a photo sensor switch that actually turns the lights on when needed. If your photoelectric switch is a timer as well as a switch that turns the lights on when dark it should have a clock on it as well that can be set. If it doesn't get a regular timer and do as above.