Who here uses artificial lighting for their chickens?

[sylvie]

I use a light on a timer in winter from Dec 1 through March 1.
It comes on at 3:30AM and is off about 7:30AM.
It is a CCF 25 watt with a clip on diffuser. I have noticed more eggs but not a higher electric bill. Really, I think the extra light gives them more time to eat. :/
I'm going to try no light this winter because I suspect a few breeds will perform without additional light.

When it is really cold I have a homemade waterer heater that is on.

I have a rotten kid next door so there is a motion detector light outside and a baby monitor inside, mostly in warmer weather when I think there will be activity in the woods.

I like having electric out there which is only an electric extension cord with a power strip.

 

[Beekissed]

My coop has electricity ran to it for lighting but I don't light them up in the winter. I feel those birds go through that cycle for a reason and God knows best, so I don't mess with that plan. I know I would sure like a break while I'm trying to regrow feathers and withstand the cold temps, so why not my gals?

On the BYC they say it burns them out sooner on egg-laying longevity, so you can do without eggs now or later, six of one, half dozen of the other, so to speak~pun entirely intended!

 

[FarmerChick]

when you build something, if you think you might need light for your own use at night, DO IT while building it.

water also.


I never build anything without electricity run to it......or set yourself up with a small solar situation, but plan it in!!

 

[me&thegals]

We notice the light gives them more time to eat, too. I normally like things to run their natural course, but we also need to have about 20 dozen pre-paid eggs for our customers each week. Rather than fluctuate my egg business all over the place, we light the coop a few extra hours and keep those eggs rolling in.

 

[Big Daddy]

So FC do you notice a drop in production? Or do you figure with 200 there are just natural fluctuations from molting and such so everything levels out? I can understand BK's theory about nature taking it's course, but I hate to feed chickens that aren't laying. We kept a light on a timer last winter and had good production all the way through. This year we don't have a light and the production seems to be down. We are not going to use a light for heat either. I have a heated bowl. Haven't had a problem with frost bite before. It never gets lower than -12. We'll see how it goes doing it natures way.

 

[FarmerChick]

oh yes my production goes down. but not by a huge amt.
also----I want it to go down a bit. The farmer markets I sell at slow down right after Christmas. I have that Christmas flurry of great sales, then BOOM....SLOW Jan. Feb March and into early April. So instead of selling and working hard thru the months washing eggs, I actually WANT the slow down in production..LOL

I buy feed loose by the ton every 5 weeks or so and prices are way lower than a 50lb bag price...so as much as I don't like feeding the slow producers..lol..I don't sweat it too much.

Tony and I talked lights and all that mess years and years ago and decided to not bother. We just let it happen.

Lucky here we only get in Feb. some brutal weather, but never like -12 and all that....being NC our winters are so much easier on the birds than those cold winter states. We never heat them. I know that no heat is healthier for my guys. Frostbite would rarely happen here.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

while i was driving all over hecks half acre today... i came up with about a dozen reasons why you'd want electric in the coop even if you didnt use lights... here are a couple:

1. fans. you rainy-state-rs still have a few hot days, right??? you might need to cool the hens
2. having lights when you need them beats the heck out of trying to get the dog to hold the flashlight while you count chickens or aim-and-fire at a varmint
3. outside-the-coop motion lights may save that varmints life.. this works for us
4. your man may need them when you tell him to go and sleep with the chickens for whatever reason...why do you think i made the duck garage so nice? i might need a refuge...
5. brooder lights for chicks!!!!
6. what if you want to use the building for something else??

i'm totally with FC and Free on this one - might well just build for electric so its there if you need it.

 

[TanksHill]

girl you are too funny. I think my dh would make me sleep in the coop long before he ever went near it.

I have never had any electricity in my coops. We are very mild in weather here and I would not need to warm them. I have, on occasion, tripped in a gopher hole while trying to close the pen after dark. So outside light might be nice.

g

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

My dh has offered to build me a bunk in the coop...........

We're putting electric in my coop, not really so I can put light in during the winter, but more so that it makes sense to have lights in there for when I'm working in there and maybe it's not light outside, especially in winter.

Plus, I plan to have a room in there for brooding chicks next spring, so it will make it easier for hanging brooder lamps, etc.

 

[Henrietta23]

We hang a rechargable camping lantern in the evening. Bring it in to recharge every morning.