Will this be a problem??

[BackAcre]

We have our baby and teenaged hens moved into the new coop, and the next stage for us is integrating the two older layers who are still camping out in the old chicken coop. Now that we are actually using the coop and not just spending every daylight hour working on It, I have discovered what I think is a flaw. The two windows in the coop both face the courtyard of our regular barn - meaning the headlight never lets the interior of the coop get completely dark, just dim and shadowy. Is this going to mess up my laying hen's internal clocks? The obvious answer would be to put a shade over The window, but DH literally built a house for chickens - it is insulated and vapour barrier'ed within an inch of it's life, and I am going to be relying heavily on the ventilation from those two windows and don't want to block them off.

 

[kklowell]

Are those two windows the only ventilation? How big is the coop and the windows?

 

[sumi]

Hens need light bright enough to read a newspaper by to keep them laying, so unless the light is that bright, I don't think it will be a problem. As for blocking the light, 50% shade cloth loosely fitted or hung across the windows should be adequate, without interfering with the air flow too much.

 

[JMotuzick]

Ditto, lots of vents! I just cut a 4’x7’ hole in the side of our coop! The soffit vents and windows where not enough, we had frost bite last winter!

 

[aart]

The two windows in the coop both face the courtyard of our regular barn - meaning the headlight never lets the interior of the coop get completely dark, just dim and shadowy.

Headlight?

Turn that light off?
Never been a fan of all night yard lights...tho it probably won't really bother them.
I use an actual head lamp/light when going out after dark to tend to birds or whatever.

 

[BackAcre]

It is attached at the peak of the horse barn, and we use it daily in that capacity, so taking it away isn't an option. I would have to look into blinds etc. The 'bright enough to read a newspaper' phrase I have heard time and again hopefully holds true, in which case they should be alright.