Content
High-quality lighting in a chicken coop is an important element of a comfortable life for birds. Light of sufficient intensity improves the egg production of chickens and promotes the development of laying hens. It is extremely necessary to illuminate the chicken coop in winter, when sunny days do not last long.
Is artificial light needed in a chicken coop? – according to reviews from experienced breeders, lighting in a flock is necessary at least in winter. If there is insufficient light in the house, chickens develop more slowly and produce fewer eggs. In addition, young animals are often injured when moving around the premises in the dark.
Benefits of a lit chicken coop
Beginning poultry breeders often neglect to install lamps in the building. Many people think that lighting is needed only for the owner’s convenience of using the flock. However, high-quality light in the chicken coop also has a beneficial effect on the bird itself. An illuminated building has the following advantages:
- egg production and egg size increases;
- chickens grow and develop much faster;
- birds are less injured because they move through an illuminated area;
- the egg-laying period of birds increases;
- chickens digest food better, receiving more nutrients and vitamins;
- the number of surviving chicks increases.
Often breeders refuse electricity in flocks for fear of high energy bills.However, if you choose the right equipment, the expenses will not be expensive.
Features of poultry house electrification
Before connecting communications to the flock, you need to select the brightness. Very bright fixtures can cause hens to become aggressive, causing fights. Birds with this behavior experience extreme stress, and sometimes are simply injured. Dim light is also destructive; birds in such conditions have poor spatial orientation. In addition, when there is insufficient lighting, the egg production of chickens decreases. The best system is one with adjustable light intensity.
The brightness of the lighting in the chicken coop should be 30 lux. If there are one or more roosters in the building, the lighting is raised to 15 lux.
The light in the flock must be turned off when all the chickens are already sitting on the roost, because at night the birds move poorly and may simply not get into their house or roost. Many novice breeders do not know what lighting is optimal for a chicken coop in the winter. During this period, chickens need to turn on the light not only in the morning, but also in the evening.
If the chickens begin to fight after installing lamps in the house, the lighting is reduced by several lux. In addition, you should not turn on the lighting suddenly, as this may disorient the birds. It is best to light the appliances gradually, this will create a sunrise effect and make the chicken cycle more natural. Also, the time and degree of illumination can be adjusted with a timer.
The optimal period for lighting the light is 7-15 minutes. If it is impossible to install such a system, then the lights in the building are turned on gradually.First, the distant lamps are lit, gradually moving to the nearby ones. Using the same scenario, the lights in the poultry house are turned off.
A sudden change in environment will cause stress in chickens. Therefore, the devices are turned on gradually, adding one to two hours of operation per day. According to this scheme, the operating time of electricity is increased to 10 hours in the summer and 11-14 in the winter. For convenience, the system can be supplemented with a timer.
Choosing lamps for the poultry house
According to experienced breeders, lamps should be installed every 5-6 meters of the chicken coop. The recommended power of the devices is 40-60 volts. This principle allows you to calculate how many lamps are needed to illuminate a flock.
Both fluorescent and conventional incandescent lamps are suitable for poultry house equipment. The latter, among other things, are resistant to low temperatures. It is undesirable to use fluorescent devices in poultry houses, as they harm the eyesight of animals.
Another option for installation in a poultry house is sodium installations, but they are expensive.
The most profitable option for poultry houses are LEDs. They have a long service life and good illumination. In addition, such systems are economical compared to traditional lighting devices. In specialized stores today you can find lamps designed specifically for lighting poultry houses.
The color of the lighting also plays a role:
- for aggressive animals it is better to use blue devices, they have a calming effect;
- green lamps are used to accelerate the development and growth of birds;
- to improve productivity growth, orange lighting is used;
- It is not recommended to use red utensils; their use reduces the number of eggs produced by the chicken.
When designing the electrical communications of the poultry house, it is worth taking into account the high humidity inside the room. Therefore, the amount of wiring, timers and other electrical appliances should be kept to a minimum. A panel with a switch is located outside the chicken coop or in a specially equipped vestibule.
When moving around the poultry house, chickens can touch the lights, so the lamps must be immersed in durable shades. Breeders also often use lampshades; with their help, light can be directed to the necessary areas of the chicken coop.
Why you need to light your chicken coop in winter
It is best to set a timer for lighting in winter. Because you need to turn the light on and off 2 times a day. It is necessary to increase the period of light in the poultry house from November. At this time, birds stop molting. In addition, it is towards winter that the egg production of birds drops. If you artificially extend the day in the house, the birds will produce more eggs. With good lighting, chicks develop much faster.
You need to extend daylight hours in the winter from 12 to 14 hours. The lamps are turned on at dawn and turned off 3-4 hours after sunset. It is important to maintain a regular regimen. This method of lighting creates the illusion of daylight and the chickens feel comfortable.
