Does it make a difference whether you turn extra light on earlier as in 4 am or just keep it on later as in til 10 pm? In other words, should I be waking them up earlier or just letting them stay up later? Which would be optimal for continued egg laying throughout the winter months? I have been turning the light on at about 6 am and keeping it on til about 9:30 pm but haven't noticed any increase in egg laying. These are all new pullets and I'm still only getting 5-7 eggs daily out of 34 pullets, which brings me to another question which I'll post seperately.
0 Kudo
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Light ?
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 bluroze |
Light ? |
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Posts: 640 10/31/09 08:34 PM Chickens...Nature's Antidepressant! |
I refuse to engage in a battle of whits with an unarmed person.
I've taken the mounds of manure heaped on me throughout my life and with it created beautiful, sweet-smelling blooms and, of course, a few wickedly dangerous thorns. |
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Wes in TX |
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Posts: 18754 11/01/09 10:02 PM Administrator |
Blue I always perferd to turn them on earlier when I used lights. I really didn't like using lights as all it does it wear the birds out earlier.
God Bless
Wes "Remember the only dumb question is the one you never ask" |
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mailmam71 |
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Posts: 1408 11/02/09 09:08 AM |
Wes, do you mean that the hens need this low or non laying period to rest their system? Thanks, Julie
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Wes in TX |
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Posts: 18755 11/02/09 05:48 PM Administrator |
Yes that is exactly what I mean. They need time to rebuild their energy. Look at the layer houses that produce store bought eggs. Them birds only last 2
cycles and then they are done. Think about how nature treats them. Adding artificle light is not normal. Without the added light they will in most cases be
healthier and live longer. Thats one reason I liked to have a pen of spring birds and a pen of fall birds as one pen was always laying in most cases.
God Bless
Wes "Remember the only dumb question is the one you never ask" |
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tuffoldhen |
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Posts: 2124 11/02/09 07:04 PM |
I'm with Wes on this. I've never used a light in the Fall or Winter so I could get more eggs. My hens always stop laying in Oct and Nov. when they molt
and I mean they stop laying I get 1 egg a day from 30 hens! I decided they need their energy to be making new feather grow more than I need an egg. I do know
they will start to pick up again in Dec. and will be back to their old laying habits. I don't like to wear my hens out for egg production.
~ ~ Blue/Black/Splash Orpingtons, Black Orpingtons and Light Brahmas ~ ~
~~~~~ Project Lavender Orpingtons and Split Black Lav Orps ~~~~~~ |
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mailmam71 |
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Posts: 1411 11/02/09 08:23 PM |
Glad to know this, I've never used light myself but had read about it. I have learned to get a few pullets each year to get me through the loooonnnggg
winter with barely an egg from the older girls. I certainly don't begrudge them a rest, they still give me laughs. I'm still learning! Julie
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jimnjay |
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Posts: 6095 11/03/09 10:48 AM |
I have never used light in the winter either. I have done will selecting breeds that lay winter or summer without extra light. They do not lay as often but none of my breeds give up laying except during molt. Faverolles are the greatest winter layers if anyone is looking for birds that lay well in witner. |
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robin416 |
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Posts: 4611 11/03/09 02:44 PM |
Enough time has gone by since I read a bit about studies done on what the extra light appears to do to them that I don't remember where I read it. But one
stated there was a higher incidence of reproductive cancer in birds that were not allowed the down time.
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bluroze |
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Posts: 642 11/04/09 05:01 PM Chickens...Nature's Antidepressant! |
Thanks so much everybody. I may have forgot to mention that 80% of these birds haven't layed their first egg yet. Should I just turn off the extra light
be more patient for those first eggs?
I refuse to engage in a battle of whits with an unarmed person.
I've taken the mounds of manure heaped on me throughout my life and with it created beautiful, sweet-smelling blooms and, of course, a few wickedly dangerous thorns. |
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- General and Social Discussion
- Disease, Cures and Emergencies!
- Eggs to Hatch and Beyond
- Chicken Behaviors
- Coops and Runs
- Predators and Pests
- Poultry show and swap meet listings
- Buy ~ Sell ~ Trade ~ Giveaways
- Breeds in General
- Breeders & Backyard Hatcheries
- Meat Birds and Other Poultry
- reference material, med and disease info
- Egg & Chicken Recipes
- Notable Archives
