chicken coop light

[adamhartree]

hi, can anyone suggest what light for me to use in my chicken coop so my chickens will lay over winter. i have just brought 3 chickens that are 23 weeks old, so they should be coming into lay sometime soon hopefully and i wanted to top up there day light hours so they will produce eggs over the winter. the coop is 3ft by 3ft so it doesnt need to be a high watt light. any advice would be great. thanks all.

[Suechooks]

I wouldn't put any light in. (Reminds me too much of battery farms. )
If they start laying now they'll carry on through the winter anyway if they'e laying hybrids. I've got several ancient hens who lay through the winter with no extra light. Just enjoy getting to know your hens and know that the first egg will be wonderful. - and the 2nd and 3rd and......

[VirginVegGrower]

My hens don't like to read so when they go to bed, they go there to sleep. Why give them a reading lamp?

[RichmondHens]

People I know who use light to prolong laying keep their hens in a covered area, like a barn, with feeders out, so that once the light comes on in the morning they can go straight to feed and wander about, as if it were dawn. With your (presumed) set up - a "normal" house/coop and run - the chickens would not venture outside the hen house as it would still be dark beyond the confines of the run. So you would gain nothing except I imagine a lot of squabbling hens. Just be patient and wait until the New Year and then I'm sure eggs will start to appear.

[Hilary B]

If you DO opt for a light, you need to arrange for it to come on early morning, so that the days 'end' naturally. As RichmondHens says, it will only do any good if they can see the food (it's increase in feeding time that makes the real difference).
If you have an enclosed 'inner run' with feeders, that they can access at all times, putting a light IN THERE might help, but personally, I wouldn't bother. Just be patient, once they start laying properly, they will be good layers for longer if they haven't been rushed!