what type of supplemental light for coop and how long is it on?

[chickylady]

I am wondering what kind of light I should install in my coop. I live in Michigan and the days are getting shorter. My 5 chickens are laying everyday and I would like it to stay that way. I do have electric in the coop. also how long should I leave it on?

 

[goldielocks]

We have an 8 x 10 coop and have an automatic timer that goes off at 5am. Its just a 100 Watt bulb. We have noticed that a couple of our girls have layed their eggs by 7am.

 

[gkeesling]

I think I've seen on here someplace that chickens need 14 hours of light for their best egg laying. I live in Indiana and we are a little over 12 hours from sunrise to sunset now. I'll probably put a 100W light w/timer in my coop sometime early October and set the timer so they have 14 hours of light meaured from the sunset time.

 

[chickylady]

So if the sunsets at 8pm and rises at 7am, Do I turn the light on at 8pm and run it until 7am? I quess I am confused. Is that too much light during the night?

 

[Vanessabuffsnsilkies]

Have the timer turn on the light at 230am then off at 8am. So they have an earlier morning and a natural sunset. That's what I have been told...

 

[GroovyGallus]

I've also read that it is better to turn a light early in the morning (3 or 4am) rather than having more light at the end of the day by turning a light on around 4pm and off at 8 or 9. The reason i read was that the rapid darkness can be problematic. Naturally light goes away slowly and if they are not roosting by then it can be a problem. If the light is on early it is not an issue because they will just be sitting on roosts at that time and there won't be as much of a shock to an awake bird. Does that make sense?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:

If you chose to add light, it's best to add it in the early morning hours IMO. That way they can go to roost naturally and nobody gets caught on the floor when the light suddenly goes out.
Just calculate back from your sunrise now to allow for fourteen hours. For example, if first light is @ 6 AM right now and sunset is at 6 PM, set the timer to turn the light on at 4 AM; for a total of 14 hrs.

 

[blueseal]

im going to add a light and timer this weekend iv noticed my birds have dropped egg production the last 2 days the shorter days has them confused.

 

[chickylady]

Thanks for your responses. I have a 13 watt CFL light bulb inside my brooder lamp and I just clamped it to the ceiling. A timer goes on at 4am and off at 8am. All my hens are laying and usually done by 10 am or sooner!! Awesome!

 

[MIKE555444]

We have a 100w bulb also... works great. adding about 2 hrs of light each morning