# Lighting for the coop...



## Sara Silver (Nov 27, 2017)

We like to let my girls lay as naturally as possible. So if egg production dips in the winter mos, that's fine. But lately, it's only light between 7am-5pm and the girls want to be roosted in the hen house as soon as the light's gone. I started thinking, that's *14 hrs *just sitting inside...that has got to be incredibly boring. So I was thinking of adding some artificial light to just the yard. That way, maybe they'd feel safe staying up a few more hrs to play and forage. But I don't want to force them into over-producing eggs if nature is telling them this is a time for their bodies to rest.

Has anyone else tried just lighting one area of their enclosure? What were the results?


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## boskelli1571 (Oct 30, 2017)

Haven't tried it so no input there. Y'know, chickens probably don't get bored like we do. It's their natural rythym so it's normal for them.
 It is important that they get lots activity during their waking hours too - have you tried cabbage tetherball? or hanging bunches of greens just high enough they have to stretch/jump to get them? That will burn off energy so they will appreciate the 14 hours of rest!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Well starting about tomorrow, the days will start to get longer. I already started getting an egg a day!


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

I wish I could sleep for 8 hours, much less 14 lol. I might get 4 hrs if I'm lucky.
Karen, dont you like to go out to your coop at midnight and hold reveille on your birds?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Yea,yea. Hubs gets up early and let's them out, but I only have 7 in a coop and 2 in a wire front thing. So the other 17 are in large pens. For us it's more about uncovering everyone's food.


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