Winterizing the coop - question on the red heat lamps

[GrandmaCluck]

If I understand correctly, chickens lay eggs based on light. If I have a red heat lamp in the coop and leave it on all night, do the chickens see the red light?

Also, I read the thread about the person rolling out 6 inches of hay in the chicken yard. What happens when it gets wet from snow or rain? Do you just leave it out there all winter?

 

[Megs]

red light is less intense so they cant see it as well as white light

 

[patandchickens]

Chickens see red light just fine. However the red lamps are dimmer. Are they bright enough to affect laying? I do not know; possibly. It does not take much light to affect laying, basically if you can read a newspaper easily then it's enough to make the chicken's brain think it's daylight.

When you put hay out, on frozen ground or snow, it does get really stenchy come spring thaw. You remove it then

and compost it. It can be valuable for making cold frozen ground "chicken-friendly", though, so it can be worth the bother sometimes.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[eekgads]

Huh, I went searching for the answer about white light vs. red light. According to Ron Meijerhof, Sr Technical Specialist of Hybro B.V., chickens see both types of light. White light is used for everyday behavior (stimulates eating) and red light is used for stimulating their reproductive system (egg laying).

The full article is located here:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/715/about-lux-and-light