Winter Lighting

[Blooie]

I figure the Good Lord gave them periods of production and then a rest period, and who am I to second guess. So no lights here. But if you want to use them (and that's just fine too - everyone has different management styles) then I have several friends who use white Christmas tree lights on a timer. They either string them around the inside perimeter of the coop, or they just hang them in a bunch in one corner. Still others add light with solar outdoor lights. They come on at dusk, run for a few hours, then gradually go out. As the days get shorter, so does the amount of "power" charging the lights, so they don't run for as long a time as they do during the brighter summer days, and extend or decrease the hours they are lit based on how much charge they took during the day. Not sure how most of those people charge them but I know a neighbor here just sticks them in the sunlight when she opens the coop for the day and then jams them in the litter when she goes out in the evening to lock up.

 

[lazy gardener]

Two things:

If you have a light you are changing their systems. They will be whacked up, if you want winter eggs you have to do that.



I agree with Arrt. start now if you want eggs all winter. I guess that depends though on your goals. Know if you make them lay eggs all year long you wear them out faster.

I am a State licensed Hatchery, (NPIP) , I let the light go down now naturally. I do not start using artificial light until around mid/early November depending on the breed. It takes about 2 week of light to get the hens laying eggs again. Remember for hatching it takes the rooster about 4 weeks of light to become fertile again.

The Breeds the 4h kids want for the fairs I incubate to hatch right after the first of the year. The ones chicken people want I hatch for March/April. Minnesota is not a great place for winter chicks, I have never been to Nova Scotia but I assume your winter is somewhat like ours. (maybe a little warmer and a lot moister)

Ralph, you are the only other BYC person I've run into who uses the same lighting schedule as me. I figure it gives them a bit of down time without taking the whole winter off.

 

[microchick]

Good information here. Thanks all.

I used artificial lighting last year mainly because my new flock hens had just started laying in late August through September and frankly I wanted to enjoy the novelty of fresh eggs.

This year I only have one new pullet that just started laying at 6 months of age so my plan is to cut back on the lighting and give them a chance to molt and rest a bit. The pullets from my June hatch probably won't start laying until next spring.I usually use LED lighting for my coop. More economical than incandescent or florescent lighting. This year I will go with lights on at 7 AM -8 AM during the stretch where I am usually stumbling outside in a coffee withdrawal stupor to let them out in the run for the day and from 3-5PM when I am usually doing feeding and watering for the evening. If they give me a few eggs every day or so, that's fine with me. I'd probably gag if I had to eat a 'store' egg at this point in time.

When real winter sets in where the temps go near 0 or sub 0 readings I'll add a blue light heat lamp in the place of the LED bulbs I use for lighting and it will be timed depending on what the over night temp is going to be. I had a lot of trouble last winter with my big combed males suffering from frost bite. Most of them were too stupid to stick their silly heads under their wings. Only one, my Lavender Orpington who has a Gorgeous undamaged comb came through it unscathed so I can't refer to him as 'Stupid Larry' any longer.

 

[duluthralphie]

Ralph, you are the only other BYC person I've run into who uses the same lighting schedule as me. I figure it gives them a bit of down time without taking the whole winter off.

That is my logic too. Great minds on about the same lattidute will think alike, I guess..

 

[ccast88]

I placed lights in my coop today

 

[microchick]

I placed lights in my coop today

I love it and even better, your girls look impressed!

BTW....