Anyone lighting their coop?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by robert murray on November 5, 2010 at 8:01am

Well Julia, you already know my answer on this one, but people who don't know me, here's the coop!

I have alway had a set of trac lights on a timer that is set to come on a 6:00 pm or just before dark, it goes for 4 hours, then in the morning I have it set to come on 2 hours before sunrise. On Friday nights I switch their radio from JR-FM 93.7 Country to The Beat, give them some sprits, turn the disco ball and the disco lights on. This makes for delicious eggs Saturday morning! Plus their the only chicks that allow me to do the chicken dance with anymore!

The lights make it easier for checking in on them every evening and gives the kids an opportunity to get involved.

If I am going to maintain "4" Hens all year, I want results!

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Permalink Reply by Julia Smith on November 5, 2010 at 8:07am

I had heard that they do better with a natural sunrise so I was just going to do the evening light but then Ann told me that it is only the morning light that makes any difference to their egg production. Anyone have a definitive answer on this? I was actually thinking of investing in one of those natural light alarm clocks for them which simulates a natural sunrise and sunset. These are going to be some expensive damn eggs.

I'll let my chickens know where the party is on Friday nights. I'm sure at least Cricket would love to come rock out with your chickens. We thought we'd lost her last night as she wasn't in the coop and was nowhere to be found in the yard. Finally found her sleeping up on top of the garage. Who says Polish chickens can't fly?

Permalink Reply by Tamara Shulman on November 7, 2010 at 6:52am

That is too funny - we have a flying Polish too who's taken to being the alpha in our little flock. Searched high and low one night only to find her nestled in a tree branch near the coop.

I haven't done any lighting so far. Not so concerned about egg production, we're still getting 2 a day from 3 of 4 hens who are laying. But if it helps them in other ways - morale, safety etc. then I'd be open to figuring something out. The partying chicken scenario cracks me up... esp since "the Beat" is all the rage with my six year old thanks to the kindergarden school shuttle at cedar cottage.

Thoughts on light value besides for increasing egg production? Thanks, Tamara

Permalink Reply by Julia Smith on November 7, 2010 at 7:26am

My Polish is the alpha too which is funny since she is the smallest chicken we have.

Permalink Reply by Nathaniel Reister on November 5, 2010 at 8:37am

Hey All,
Asia and I use a set of full-spectrum (UV) bulbs- we've had them laying around so we didn't have to invest but they can be expensive. We just started a few days ago because our production dropped through the floor all of a sudden. We are lighting currently from 7-9:30am and 4:30-8pm. I'm with Robert on this one, I want results! So we'll see how this works-
We also put a sheet of poly around the coop/run to keep it warmer and give the hens a little advantage over driving winds and rains.

Permalink Reply by robert murray on November 5, 2010 at 2:49pm

Great Idea Nat, but keep a close eye on the moisture with it being wrapped.

Permalink Reply by James on November 9, 2010 at 5:25am

I agree with Penny, there is no reason to keep lights on in the evening for a an extended period. I find that my hens will go inside their coop once it gets dark and pretty much start roosting right away even though the coop is lit. I have the lights turn back on at about 5:30, they'll wake up and do their thing and leave the coop once it gets light out. My egg production is at about 60% capacity but during the summer I was getting about an egg per hen.

@Nathaniel; the wrapping of the coop run is a good idea and won't have the moisture issue as I believe you've got the open ceiling concept. Any moisture should pass through the ceiling. I've also use the same concept on my coop, ceiling completely open just with hardware cloth.

Permalink Reply by Vicky on November 10, 2010 at 10:38pm

During the Flock Health course at UFV, they recommended 16 hours of light a day (but didn't specify morning or evening) with an intensity of 10-30 LUX (measured by a light metre). I began a couple weeks ago increasing by about a half hour at a time, until just yesterday at the full 16. Of four hens, we are still only getting one a day. We have the light inside the house (along with a small food dish) but they go into the run while still dark which I think must confuse them. We are looking at putting a light in the run too. I've also heard it's good if you can get a timer that comes on and off gradually to mimic sunrise/sunset it helps too.

Not very conclusive, but I'll update with any news. Thanks to all for their enlightening posts!

Permalink Reply by James Griffiths on November 30, 2010 at 10:17am

Hey folks,

I've been using solar lamps that charge during the day and then come on automatically when it gets dark. They aren't super bright, and their duration is shrinking with the season, but it may help. I got the lamps on sale at Canadian Tire a couple months ago, real inexpensive.

My hens still aren't laying yet, but I don't think the lights are the reason. I think they weren't getting enough food because Betty with the crossed beak was making a mess of all the food. I've just built a new feeder that appears to help with this significantly - deeper trough and auto supply. Next step is to put another small feeder inside the coop, under the light beam, so that perhaps they'll keep eating.

Jordan suggested that the main reason for the lamp was to get them to keep eating, thus the theoretical increase in eggs.

Cheers,
- James.

Permalink Reply by Nathaniel Reister on November 30, 2010 at 11:03am

So all, great news in the lighting of the coop experiment on Quebec St. I've recently been using a 250 watt heat bulb (in the coop), with one 60 watt heat bulb (near the feeder) and a 60 watt full spectrum bulb in the run. Previously we had only used full spectrum bulbs- and we had little success gettting the girls to come out and eat in the morning or late evening, it seems that with our new setup, our girls will eat when the full-spectrum light comes on till it goes off (the 250 watt bulb stays on all night to help heat). Somehow the heat bulbs made the majority of the difference. If we didnt have so many molting birds right now i would expect an increase in egg yield...but I have seen a definitive change in the rate at which they are consuming their feed. Hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Vicky on November 30, 2010 at 12:34pm

hens are now laying better, now with an average of about 3 eggs/day from the 4 hens. need to get a chicken cam to find out who's not...