I've heard in the past people complaining that their chickens don't lay enough eggs in the Winter months. It makes a lot of sense to supply more light, so as to heighten the changes of good egg production. It is great that you are helping your son which allows him to make extra money and learn responsibility at the same time. My brother eventually wants to get some chickens so trying to learn all I can in advance.
Beautiful setup! Adding heat and light in the coop will cause more egg production- but then make sure you up their protein and feed...you're forcing them to lay, which the chicken needs rest during molting and trying to keep warm during the day. This can cause egg burnout and problems for the chicken (vent prolapse, etc.,)...so be careful when doing this. The chicken has it's natural cycle of things for a reason. Ensure good, kind husbandry. Can mix the breeds to get those that naturally lay all year-round (ie. Golden Comets).
I've been feeding my chickens soldier fly larvae and it's been working on one of them out of three without extra light. The extra light adds stress to the chickens. Up to you, but it does work.
First I want to commend you for teaching yout son. I do the same thing with my kids. As far as introducing artificial light for the chickens, I have to disagree with this process. Chickens use the winter months for molting. They use whatever protein they take in for molting. I normally do 2 things this time of year. 1. I give them extra protein such as worms(53% protein) , eggs and seeds. 2. During the time when they are producing a lot of eggs, I don't give away or sell any at first. I preserve them by water glassing them. This preserves raw eggs for up to 2 years. It works and there's a lot of info out there on just how easy it is. Once I have enough eggs preserved, I will then give some away or sell them. Hope this helps
I agree and disagree 😂 What you're doing is probably a more sustainable version. We were selling eggs, and to make any kind of profit we had to keep the hens laying. It's just gonna depend on your goals.
Great tips, thank you! This will be my first full winter with the light switch timer. Looking forward to seeing how the birds do! I think I need to change out the bulbs though because I just have standard white fluorescent bulbs...
I am from MN i am drowning in eggs. How did u go about finding a source to sell eggs to?? I asked our local grocery store and they said no, i have to have some inspection? Is that something u have to do too?
GOOD QUESTION! If you have any answers let me know 😉 We’ve had chickens on pasture for about 5 years and never had much of a problem until this last summer. It was really bad. We lost around 10 chickens, and the days we were able to scare it away before it ate something it just scared the crap out of em. I think that’s why they’re not laying well now. Chickens don’t recover from stress very well. We tried everything we could think of and nothing worked (shiny stuff, radio, realistic scarecrow). Livestock guardian dogs is what people suggest, but we just can’t afford one right now. We’re gonna have to figure something out though for this next summer 🤷🏻♂️
A good way to keep hawks away from you chickens is to have plenty of black chickens. Ever notice how hawks don't mess with ravens or crows? This is because those birds are also predatory and fight the hawks, so hawks don't mess with them. If they see black birds on the ground, they won't be as brave as they normally would
@@combatsquid1115 I did read that. However, it seems as though my black chickens (I have two) seem to get pecked at more. Add more black chickens to balance out the colors? I have a mix of breeds. Some reds, a few Autralorp and a few Easter Eggers.
I thought heat makes the difference in winter time cause I was told they lay less in winter because it’s cold but it’s because of light then? My chickens are free range.
It is mostly day length. It has a little to do with cold just because it can stress them, just like excessive heat would. But, my chickens don’t get any supplemental heat, and I can keep them laying really well during the winter by giving them enough light. The “chickens being cold” thing is mostly people thinking they’re being cruel to their animals by not keeping them warm. It’s not necessary.
I tried so hard to do a DIY setup for a solar powered light on a timer, and it was a fail 😒 I do use solar lights for them out on pasture in the fall, but I have to turn them on and off.
I've heard in the past people complaining that their chickens don't lay enough eggs in the Winter months. It makes a lot of sense to supply more light, so as to heighten the changes of good egg production. It is great that you are helping your son which allows him to make extra money and learn responsibility at the same time. My brother eventually wants to get some chickens so trying to learn all I can in advance.
Yeah I love that I can give my son the opportunity to learn.
Beautiful setup! Adding heat and light in the coop will cause more egg production- but then make sure you up their protein and feed...you're forcing them to lay, which the chicken needs rest during molting and trying to keep warm during the day. This can cause egg burnout and problems for the chicken (vent prolapse, etc.,)...so be careful when doing this. The chicken has it's natural cycle of things for a reason. Ensure good, kind husbandry. Can mix the breeds to get those that naturally lay all year-round (ie. Golden Comets).
So cool that Izzy has his own chicken!
I've been feeding my chickens soldier fly larvae and it's been working on one of them out of three without extra light.
The extra light adds stress to the chickens.
Up to you, but it does work.
Lots of love from Kashmir
First I want to commend you for teaching yout son. I do the same thing with my kids. As far as introducing artificial light for the chickens, I have to disagree with this process. Chickens use the winter months for molting. They use whatever protein they take in for molting. I normally do 2 things this time of year. 1. I give them extra protein such as worms(53% protein) , eggs and seeds. 2. During the time when they are producing a lot of eggs, I don't give away or sell any at first. I preserve them by water glassing them. This preserves raw eggs for up to 2 years. It works and there's a lot of info out there on just how easy it is. Once I have enough eggs preserved, I will then give some away or sell them. Hope this helps
I agree and disagree 😂 What you're doing is probably a more sustainable version. We were selling eggs, and to make any kind of profit we had to keep the hens laying. It's just gonna depend on your goals.
Great tips, thank you! This will be my first full winter with the light switch timer. Looking forward to seeing how the birds do! I think I need to change out the bulbs though because I just have standard white fluorescent bulbs...
Yeah might be a good idea. I'm lookin to seein how they do for ya!
You have an amazing mind to design and build all this
Good job teaching your children!
I'm learning a lot from you, a big thank you from my heart!
Very nice, I use corded solar lights.
I was thinking about doing this 😊 I was feeling bad cuz my chickens have to spend so much time in the coop in the dark. Now I don't feel stupid😅
I am from MN i am drowning in eggs. How did u go about finding a source to sell eggs to?? I asked our local grocery store and they said no, i have to have some inspection? Is that something u have to do too?
Asked around 🤷♂️ We have to be inspected, yes, but it's pretty low key.
How do you keep hawks away from chickens in a pasture?
GOOD QUESTION! If you have any answers let me know 😉 We’ve had chickens on pasture for about 5 years and never had much of a problem until this last summer. It was really bad. We lost around 10 chickens, and the days we were able to scare it away before it ate something it just scared the crap out of em. I think that’s why they’re not laying well now. Chickens don’t recover from stress very well. We tried everything we could think of and nothing worked (shiny stuff, radio, realistic scarecrow). Livestock guardian dogs is what people suggest, but we just can’t afford one right now. We’re gonna have to figure something out though for this next summer 🤷🏻♂️
A good way to keep hawks away from you chickens is to have plenty of black chickens. Ever notice how hawks don't mess with ravens or crows? This is because those birds are also predatory and fight the hawks, so hawks don't mess with them. If they see black birds on the ground, they won't be as brave as they normally would
@@combatsquid1115 I did read that. However, it seems as though my black chickens (I have two) seem to get pecked at more. Add more black chickens to balance out the colors? I have a mix of breeds. Some reds, a few Autralorp and a few Easter Eggers.
@lisahuber5403 couldn't hurt to try. I know it seems crazy, but it does work for me. How many chickens do you have?
Will corn help the chicken lay more eggs
Corn itself probably won't, but a formulated layer feed will. Chickens need a good feed to lay well.
Should the outter egg shell be smooth or rough
Should be smooth, but sometimes they are rough and that’s ok.
Thank you so much...I heard they were bad. Yay... I'll eat them
Unless they smell rotten or something.
I thought heat makes the difference in winter time cause I was told they lay less in winter because it’s cold but it’s because of light then? My chickens are free range.
It is mostly day length. It has a little to do with cold just because it can stress them, just like excessive heat would. But, my chickens don’t get any supplemental heat, and I can keep them laying really well during the winter by giving them enough light. The “chickens being cold” thing is mostly people thinking they’re being cruel to their animals by not keeping them warm. It’s not necessary.
@@morethanfarmers thank you so much
❤
Wa
That's a different trick for eggs
I want to get a solar powered one.
I tried so hard to do a DIY setup for a solar powered light on a timer, and it was a fail 😒 I do use solar lights for them out on pasture in the fall, but I have to turn them on and off.