# Lights



## robinson4 (Jul 28, 2013)

I live in Iowa and it is starting to get dark pretty early now. Should I be putting a light on at night in the coop to help with laying? I seen a post that said to put one on a timer from 8pm to 12pm any thoughts? Thanks!


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## JazzieBFarm (Sep 26, 2013)

We have one on a timer also, it helps them lay during the night, and helps them so they'll eat when it's dark and cold, so they don't stop eating and freeze.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

I don't know who told you that chickens won't eat or they will freeze without a light in their coop, but you have been misinformed. Chickens will eat just fine in the winter without a light and they also will not freeze without a light in the coop. 

If that were the case, all the chickens in the colder climes in the world before the invention of electricity would have starved and froze to death..and that just doesn't happen. 

The reason people place light in the coop during the winter months is to unnaturally stimulate the chickens to lay all winter instead of slow down on laying as per their natural cycle.


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## JazzieBFarm (Sep 26, 2013)

That's not what I mean, I mean that they eat more with a light, and if they don't eat, they will be thin and freeze. The food thing was more of a market bird thing, if there's a light on at night, they will eat more at night, so they will get fatter.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

That's not really why they keep the lights on for market birds..so they won't freeze. Chickens won't get thin and freeze unless someone doesn't give them enough food and they will die from that in the warmer months also. They eat plenty in the daytime to keep fat on their body if someone merely puts out food. 

They light market birds so they can continue to eat both day and night to put weight on them as quickly as possible but it has nothing to do with keeping them from freezing.

People with laying flocks will artificially light the birds up in the winter to stimulate laying, not to make them eat both day and night.


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## robinson4 (Jul 28, 2013)

So you would recommend lights correct? How long per night?


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## chickett (Sep 29, 2013)

When it gets real cold up here in New England I have a heat lamp. My coop has a specially designed place so its not a fire hazard. I keep it on 24/7 if the girls want a warm place to snuggle up. Also, a quick question: i usually keep food and water outside of coop so it doesnt get so nasty. Should I keep it inside the coop during the night?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Unless you are pushing birds past or through their break time, lights are not necessary for any other reason than your ability to see what you're doing.


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## LittleWings (Jul 15, 2013)

Some breeds eggs, like Marans, get lighter as their laying cycle comes to an end. They need to take a break for them to get dark again. 
They must need the break. I try to put quality of life over how many eggs I can squeeze out of them. 
Just my opinion, to each his own.


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## JazzieBFarm (Sep 26, 2013)

Bee said:


> That's not really why they keep the lights on for market birds..so they won't freeze. Chickens won't get thin and freeze unless someone doesn't give them enough food and they will die from that in the warmer months also. They eat plenty in the daytime to keep fat on their body if someone merely puts out food.
> 
> They light market birds so they can continue to eat both day and night to put weight on them as quickly as possible but it has nothing to do with keeping them from freezing.
> 
> People with laying flocks will artificially light the birds up in the winter to stimulate laying, not to make them eat both day and night.


You don't understand what I'm saying. I give up.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Then what are you asking? You asked if lights should be kept on until midnight, the general consensus is no, its not healthy for the birds. 

I see what appears to be a d'Uccle in your avatar. I raised those. They laid through the entire Winter without lights. The same was true of my Silkies and Hamburgs.

They use lighting for extended hours for birds they have no emotional attachment to and only care about the output. That's all the extra lighting is about.


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

robin416 said:


> Then what are you asking? You asked if lights should be kept on until midnight, the general consensus is no, its not healthy for the birds.
> 
> I see what appears to be a d'Uccle in your avatar. I raised those. They laid through the entire Winter without lights. The same was true of my Silkies and Hamburgs.
> 
> They use lighting for extended hours for birds they have no emotional attachment to and only care about the output. That's all the extra lighting is about.


Very well put...


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## JazzieBFarm (Sep 26, 2013)

robin416 said:


> Then what are you asking? You asked if lights should be kept on until midnight, the general consensus is no, its not healthy for the birds.
> 
> I see what appears to be a d'Uccle in your avatar. I raised those. They laid through the entire Winter without lights. The same was true of my Silkies and Hamburgs.
> 
> They use lighting for extended hours for birds they have no emotional attachment to and only care about the output. That's all the extra lighting is about.


1) I didn't ask that... But ANYWAY! 
2) Oh really! I love d'uccles! Most of mine are old, she's a pullet, so I don't remember, how long does it take for them to start laying regularly??? She layed her first egg at 4 mo, by then didn't lay for another month or so. Now we'll get an egg from her, then another the next day, but then she'll wait a week, if not more, to lay again!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I just realized that its actually two different posters asking slightly different version of the same question. 

Bee is correct, there is no need to keep a light on to encourage your birds to eat. They are grazers and will eat their fill. The only times they won't do that is if its too dark in the coop during daylight hours or if they are feeling under the weather. Unless I forgot, I never left my lights on in the coop after dark. They were usually turned off at dusk so the birds had time to get used to the light decreasing. 

Something to keep in mind, just like us, birds need to rest. They need a good night's sleep or it can affect them physically. Having lights on prevent them from sleeping soundly enough to get that rest.

If there is any chance of hatching any eggs your girl lays because you want more, I'd be hatching them. Mine laid every day once they were mature enough. That is until they went broody and wanted to hatch. So, whatever is going on with your girl could mean she will also quit laying at a young age.

The little D's are awesome little birds and had I been introduced to them before the Silkies, they would have been my focus.


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## JazzieBFarm (Sep 26, 2013)

Yep, I love them!


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