How to use Lighting in your chicken coop to get eggs in winter

One key to getting eggs in winter is to use artificial lighting in your chicken coop. But it's not as simple as just grabbing the nearest light and turning it on. If you decide to use supplemental light in your chicken coop, here are the practicalities to take into account, including
- what kind of bulb (and why NOT to use Teflon-coated, or fluorescent)
- what colour light
- how bright it should be
- where to put them
- when they should come on and go off, each day and throughout the year.
And of course I'll explain why this is so, and how light affects your chickens.
In an upcoming video I'll outline some of your considerations when deciding whether or not you think it's a good idea to use additional lighting in your chicken coop.
Meanwhile, you might like to check out this video about how chickens see difefrent from what we see:
• 10 amazing and little-...
For more fascinating facts, hints and tips about caring for your chickens, and the sheer pleasure of chickens, subscribe to my channel: Chickens in my garden - New Zealand
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Catch up with me on Facebook / chickensinmygarden

[@KarobnotKarob]

Oh, I especially loved the bloopers? at the end!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank. I don't usually put in my bloopers but these ones really made me laugh when I was editing so I thought you might enjoy them too. Have a great day 🙂

[@faltio69]

Very informative! I never increase the light because I want to keep my hens for a long as possible; they are pets not just egg machines lol. But I guess If I can encourage them to be a little more productive that would be ok too. Thank you Sheryl (spelling?) for another great video.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. I haven't done it (yet) either but I wanted to find out all about it. In my next video I'll cover what to think about when deciding whether or not artificial lighting is right for your chickens. Have a great day Sheryl

[@MaceyJane1]

So informative. I had seen conflicting info about fluorescent lighting and your explanation was great. You pulled it all together for me as my young chickens will be moving into a coop and chicken run this weekend. Thanks!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Excellent. I bet you and they will be delighted to have more space to explore 🙂

[@meghanhodgins178]

Guelph -“Gw-elf” 😊👍

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you so much. And my apologies to everyone who lives there. (Are they called Gw-elfs?)😀 Sorry again - they are probably totally tired of that weak joke!

[@johannabennion]

So much detail and research! This is incredible. Thank you so much for all the research and effort you took to make this video.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. I like to know the details and the reasons behind them, and it's a pleasure to share them too 🙂

[@olivia00209]

Thank you very much for such a detailed, useful and high-quality video!🥰😘🐓

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you very much for your compliment 🙂

[@whoaracehorse670]

You are such a good teacher! I can’t wait to see your next video regarding light, because this lighting thing seems a little complicated. I think I’ll just leave the lighting to Mother Nature. Great video!!

[@chickensinmygarden]

It certainly is complicated. And much easier to leave it to Mother Nature if that suits you and your chickens. Best wishes 🙂

[@tabuoey]

great video! you should do one about what you mentioned briefly in your video, where todays chickens originated from 😮❤

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you 🙂

[@prayeropensdoor1050]

Ah, loved the bloopers. New to chickens and feel quite inept. I’m a new sub. Thanks , ♥️ from 🇨🇦👍🏻🌟

[@chickensinmygarden]

Don't worry - your chickens will know what they are doing anyway 🙂 Do check out some of my other videos. And thanks for subscribing

[@vickyannpaintingwithoils]

I don't use lights neccessarily for egg production during winter. I started using them to bridge the gap from an hour during pre-roosting time and three hours after. I use a dim yellow light that flickers as if it is a lantern. They are battery operated lanterns that come on at the same time they are set everyday and stay on for four hours and shut themselves off. But in the cold wintery climate I live in, I acquire large heavy breed chickens that stay warm and still lay all winter. The light may help? But I don't know. Never heard of a teflon covered bulb. You ALWAYS give me new thinks to think about. Love the video!

[@chickensinmygarden]

My guess would be that the yellow light is helping at least a little to keep those chickens laying through the winter

[@vickyannpaintingwithoils]

Based on your light spectrum info, I think so too. :)

[@kida12]

If your coop gets wifi you can use a smart bulb. Then you can set the timing, color and brightness. :)

[@chickensinmygarden]

What a great idea!

[@hattiedraper1061]

Thank you for sharing your scientific knowledge and for your terrific presentation skill. Both must take time and effort. Thank you.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you. It does take time and effort but I love to do it. Thank you for watching and making it all worthwhile 🙂

[@monellearseneau3368]

loved the bloopers 😄

[@chickensinmygarden]

Yes, a bit of fun, eh? Only for those who watch all the way to the end 🙂

[@christinejensen-renollet9147]

Thanks!

[@chickensinmygarden]

Hey thank YOU!

[@mostaphaabdelaziz8341]

❤ thanks for the valuable information.

[@chickensinmygarden]

You are welcome. Thanks for watching. Have a great day 🙂

[@bjohnston3659]

Guelph is pronounced "GWELF", but you did great! They are a wee bit snobby down there because of the Agricultural College and that will take them down a peg.

[@chickensinmygarden]

😀 Thank you so much. Have a great day

[@pseudopetrus]

I do my break in early fall here in Canada (near Guelph). I go with natural light for our long summer days. I can see starting in September that laying decreases as the natural light diminishes, and October gives me very few eggs. In November I start with my lighting program. It takes about 3 weeks before my hens ramp up their laying, but it takes even longer for the Roosters to get frisky. I like to do a test hatch in December, to check fertility. I need to do this so I can better plan my matings and Rooster to hen ratios etc. Because I show my birds, I need to hatch early, to have the cockerels and pullets old enough to show by late summer and early fall. I won Grand Champion and Best of Breed with a cockerel hatched in March, but my nicest pullet was hatched in late April and was a little small to compete with the other pullets in her class which hurt her chances of winning. I have flexibility built into my light program when it comes to pullets. As many will know, pullets basically stop growing when they start to lay, so I do not want to force them to lay before they are well grown. You do need to be flexible and know when your young birds are really ready for the breeding shed.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Wow! I was thinking it's tricky just trying to avoid a long time with no eggs, but of course it's even trickier when you need to take annual show schedules into account! What breed/s do you have? And how long have you been breeding?

[@pseudopetrus]

I breed Partridge Chanteclers, a rare Canadian breed. I did have show chickens when I was young, but these birds came from a great breeder that I purchased in 2022. JP had devoted his life to this rare breed and while he sold me his culls, his genetics are so strong, that I was able to produce a champion. He downplays his genetics, but I have to be honest, this man JP is the best breeder in Ontario, I do work hard at raising them right, letting the best of the birds qualities shine through, but really I owe so much to a man who has spent years rebuilding the breed! They don't like hot weather, so I have no idea how they would do in NZLD! They are truly a cold weather breed.@@chickensinmygarden

[@chickensinmygarden]

I had to Google Chantecler. What a wonderful breed, and of course so perfectly designed for their purpose. No, there are none here in New Zealand, and since we don't have anywhere that would be the ideal climate for them that's probably for the best. The nearest we have in colour are the Brown Leghorns or Welsummers, which also have those gloriously handsome roosters.

[@leahnichol6665]

This is very interesting. My mom put a red heat lamp in the chicken coop in the winter, partly for light but also for heat as we had lots of snow and a cold snap every winter of 30 below for a week or two. She had the light quite high - above our heads, and the wires were all high. She certainly didn’t mess with the timing like you are suggesting. I suspect we had fewer eggs in winter. I think I need to watch this again. I have decided the chickens wanted to be in the video and wanted you to share the attention. 😉

[@chickensinmygarden]

My chickens certainly like to be the centre of attention!

[@leahnichol6665]

@@chickensinmygarden ❤️

[@figspigsandfeathers8179]

A great informational video! I've tested lighting for a number of years to come to much the same conclusions you discuss here. I found increasing the red light along with the white light seems to cause the hens to go broody more often and more frequently. Blue and or green light causes the hens to become quite irritated and they will begin to peck on each other and bring much discontent i the coop. I did not know about the ptfe coating. That is really good to know.

[@chickensinmygarden]

Thank you for that - that's really interesting to hear 🙂

[@allclairesbears]

Your chooks are attention hounds😂

[@chickensinmygarden]

They certainly are 😀