Winter Lighting

[danegirl88]

So...I got some late hatches this year, with ages ranging to date from 10 weeks to 15 weeks. This puts them at starting to lay in October/November. I'm worried with winter fast approaching (it never really starts getting actually cold here until January, but days get shorter before then) that I'll feed these girls for almost a year without a single egg! So, I need to figure out how to get lighting in their coop for the winter, but I don't have power running to the coop. Is solar even a viable option, what with batteries and daylight and wanting light at dusk, etc.? Also, would I need a light that has a separate panel, as both the coop and run are roofed and I need light inside? How have you all tackled the lighting issue in your coops? We do have power running to my husband's workshop (which is only a like ten feet away), but I don't want an extension cord running out. If I have to bite the bullet and call an electrician out I will, but was hoping for a less wallet-hostile option. Built the coop all by myself, as my husband says he "can't work with me" (we're both rather stubborn

).

 

[Percheron chick]

My June and July pullets have started laying around the holidays and laid well their first winter with no supplemental light. If you add light, put it on a timer to come on in the AM. You want them to go to bed naturally at dusk.