Winter's light

[andysforrest]

Hello,

I have a question to post to others regarding winter's light: How do you manage the lack of sunlight/daylight hours? I've thought of getting a timer or some such other thing to keep light going, but have heard that white light can encourage pecking and I don't want to create any bad habits. Any thoughts?

Andy

 

[Silkie-Feet]

colored christmas lights perhaps?

 

[Silkie-Feet]

 

[teach1rusl]

Many people use a timer light...have it come on early am (maybe 4 or 5 am). When people talk about the constant white light causing stress, they're talking about 24/7, not just a few hours.

 

[woodmort]

I have a dual timer, on at 6 am thru 9 then again 4 pm til 8. I use a 20 w florescent GE Bright Stick. It is only chicks where you need worry about pecking--use a red light in the brooder--but I never have had problems with this kind of light in 25 years of using it. Bird don't seem to have any problem getting onto the roost at night--usually they're there before the light goes off. They adjust pretty easily.

 

[HHandbasket]

I have the light set on a timer. It comes on at 3:30 in the morning and goes off about 7:15 (sun's been coming up here right around 7). I am using a natural daylight bulb that I picked up at Home Depot for like $3. I figured it would most closely mimic sunlight for my girls. So far, it seems to be working, though we've only had it going for about a week & my primary egglayer died Sunday night (was eggbound for about a day).

 

[lauriej57]

You really don't need to have a light at all, unless you want them to keep laying throughout the winter. If so, which i do, you want them to have about 14 hours of light, which is normally best to turn on early in the morning, and let them go to roost with the natural light.

I usually have 4 or 5 older hens every winter, that I put into my smaller coop, without extended lighting. I figure it gives them a natural way to take a rest, and if they continue laying throughout the winter, that's great.