Winter coop lighting, what do you use?

[gabbyscritters]

We have not used artificial lighting in the coop before but daughter wants to start hatching much earlier this year.
What type of bulbs or lighting do you use?
Standard or fluorescent bulbs, low if high watt, led Christmas rope lights?

We have 3 winter coop with breeding pens, coops are all about 10x10.
Thanks

 

[Schwartzfarmnc]

We had electricity installed when we built our coop so we use the standard 60 watt bulb and we have a timer that comes on at 5:45 and goes off a few hours later. We wanted the light not only for the possibility of more eggs but since it is so dark these days I felt they needed some extra light just to have it maybe so we won't have any depressed chickies

 

[mommissan]

I use a compact fluorescent. Less heat, brighter and less painful on the power bill. I'm wondering how an LED bulb would do.

 

[johnsons-r-us]

We just put in a fluorescent bulb. A couple of extra hours in the morning and at night. It seems to be doing the trick.

 

[mcjessen]

I have a 13W energy efficient bulb that doesn't get hot. It's set on a timer to come on at 5:00 am, off at 8:00 am, on at 4:30 pm and off at 7:45 pm.

 

[MommyMagpie]

Our small coop came with a fixture and has a 40w regular bulb in it. There is an outlet in there so I ran a hanging mechanic's light over to the larger coop when we built that one. It has a 60w bulb because I didn't have a 40w. The timer comes on shortly after 5 am and goes off around 9. I will adjust after the time change this weekend.

 

[blondebarnbabe]

I was wondering the same thing about lighting. A chicken lady told me NOT to use those neat-O twisty energy saving light bulbs (florescence? not sure.) and that it was bad for my birds. Is that the concensus? Also: How bright should it be? I know with mares you need it to be bright enough to read a newspaper when you're trying to bring them into cycling... but for chickens?

 

[JulieNKC]

I don't have electricity in my coop, and don't want to run extension cords out a hundred feet to the coop. I have a string on solar christmas lights in mine. It automatically comes on at dusk, gives enough light for the girls to see to get to bed, and for me to see that everyone's there when they're locked up for the night. I am going to buy another string that I will leave off in the evening, and turn on in the morning when they are let out.

 

[southerndesert]

We use a standard 15 watt bulb in all our hen houses, standard bulb because the spectrum is right to help with egg laying and we were taught that you need the Yellows/Reds and not the Blue type (spectrum not bulb color)

Now I am not any type expert, but was taught LED and some types florescent are not the proper spectrum to stimulate laying.

Does anyone know for sure on this?

 

[mcjessen]

Quote:
Oooo, this would be interesting to know as well. I have one of those twisty bulbs in my coop and two of my three girls have stopped laying. For the life of me, I can't figure out why. It's very frustrating. If they don't lay in blue spectrum lighting this may be the reason. Although it wouldn't explain why by BA is still laying. Interesting....