When can I stop supplemental light-what date?

[colby318]

I have my light come on in the coop at 3:00am so the girls will give me eggs. I lost my farmer's almanac. When do we naturally get 14 hours of daylight? Do you all set it an hour later every month to compensate for the evening sun hours? Any help is appreciated!

Colby in KY

 

[Kim_NC]

Here's a link to almanac.com with Stamping Ground, KY
selected. It shows you currenty being at 11 hr, 40 min of daylight. You can change the date to get hrs of daylight a month from now, 2 months, etc:

http://www.almanac.com/sunrise/40379

I adjust by having the timer come on later each morning. I also shoot for a total 16 hr light per day....less timer adjustments needed that way.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Hey - That is a cool link. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Kim_NC]

Yeah, one of my favorite places.

You're welcome!

 

[hensonly]

Are you sure your girls will stop laying during the winter? Mine slowed down but I've had eggs all winter. As have many other people on the forum. The production breeds seem to keep going, the traditional breeds are more likely to stop.

Also remember that forcing continued laying with artificial light will means the hens only get to rest from laying when they molt, rather than a good long break to recover calcium and all the energy that goes into creating an egg. I've also been told that this uses up the hen's store of potential eggs faster, so they will have fewer years of laying, not sure that's exactly accurate, but I've read it several times on the forum.

I'm not criticizing your use of light to keep them laying - I was glad when someone on the forum told me the above when I asked about lighting in winter, so I thought I'd pass it on in case you didn't know... I hear the length of the days on the weather forecast on one of our local radio stations...or I bet you could find it on the internet!
I think we're still under 11 hours a day... I had read that hens need at least 10 hours a day to lay well... Maybe we should ask the hens!!

 

[ams3651]

I didnt supplement light and was getting 2-3 eggs a day. THey started up again full time almost over night several weeks ago.

 

[cmom]

I leave an 11 watt red sign light on 24/7. Chickens don't see well in the dark. I have a 15 watt light that comes on at around 4 am. and off at 8 am. My girls have been laying well. I recently put my pullets into the same coop as my hens. They slacked off a bit for a few days but I think probably because they were establishing a new roosting order.
I figured out what a 40 watt would cost me a month to run. I figured out my consumption based on, example, a 40 watt light bulb cost me 13.5 cents a day to run 24 hrs. around $4 a month. This was based on my electric bill and what I pay per kilowatt hr.

 

[colby318]

Quote:
That site is perfect. It's exactly what I need. Thanks!

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I set my timer for morning and night and get it close to the sunrise and sunset when I have a 14 hr day. instead of just morning or night.

April 26, is 14 hours, for me. I run the timer 6am start, end 8 pm it gets shut off during the day when there is lihgt from the windows

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree.

The way I understand it, adding light doesn't change the overall number of eggs you'll get from a hen in her lifetime; only the time frame in which you'll get those eggs.