best light for increasing egg production? (we have real electricity to the coop!)

[mlcalmes]

Who told you this, nonsense? Yes, chickens have a Pineal gland that some call a third eye and it is photosensitive (as well as a photosensitive hypothalamus) and yes chickens can perceive some extended UV and IR range of light beyond what humans see... But that does not equate to fluorescent tubes being "a complete waste of both money and electricity" that is just silly nonsense... Fluorescent lights have been (and are still used) successfully in the commercial poultry business for decades... The Pineal gland (aka the third eye) that you touch upon that stimulates their egg laying is not tuned to the UV spectrum as you imply, instead orange/red wavelengths are what appear to best stimulate the Peneal gland and increase egg laying cycles...

Feel free to read this article... http://www.onceinnovations.com/wp/w...ePapers_Energy-Savings-in-Poultry-Farming.pdf





Or read this article... https://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_images/programs/poultry/Alphin Light Impact on Poultry 3-11-14.pdf



If you are unaware red light in about the 630 nm wavelength is well in the 'visible' light range, near the middle in fact, it's far from UV...

Or read this article... http://web.uconn.edu/poultry/poultrypages/light_inset.html





Or this one... http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/93/5/1289.long





If you read the above you will also see that other colors have their own benefits as well, but for egg laying the reds are what you desire...

In the end a custom tailored LED light setup that is tuned to the chickens red perception wavelengths is obviously optimal and best for egg laying stimulation, but that does not equate to other light sources like fluorescent being a waste of time as most are perfectly adequate, since they do put out a decent amount of light in the needed wavelengths...

Your typical fluorescent tube or compact tube will put out sufficient red wavelengths to stimulate egg production, as will most generic 'white' LEDs, using them is not a waste of money...

I personally provide supplemental light year round in my coop for at total of 16 hours/day with eight 9W 2700K CFL, my egg laying is steady all year with no seasonal changes due to light variations, but my coop is significantly larger than most...

None of these links work?

 

[casportpony]

Feel free to read this article... http://www.onceinnovations.com/wp/w...ePapers_Energy-Savings-in-Poultry-Farming.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/2016010...ePapers_Energy-Savings-in-Poultry-Farming.pdf

Or read this article... https://extension.umd.edu/sites/def...ry/Alphin Light Impact on Poultry 3-11-14.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/2015101...ry/Alphin Light Impact on Poultry 3-11-14.pdf

If you are unaware red light in about the 630 nm wavelength is well in the 'visible' light range, near the middle in fact, it's far from UV...

Or read this article... http://web.uconn.edu/poultry/poultrypages/light_inset.html

https://web.archive.org/web/2018121...onn.edu/poultry/poultrypages/light_inset.html

http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/93/5/1289.long

Maybe here?
https://www.sciencedirect.com/search?pub=Poultry Science&cid=776861&qs=blue green lighting

 

[Chickenmumma7]

Who told you this, nonsense? Yes, chickens have a Pineal gland that some call a third eye and it is photosensitive (as well as a photosensitive hypothalamus) and yes chickens can perceive some extended UV and IR range of light beyond what humans see... But that does not equate to fluorescent tubes being "a complete waste of both money and electricity" that is just silly nonsense... Fluorescent lights have been (and are still used) successfully in the commercial poultry business for decades... The Pineal gland (aka the third eye) that you touch upon that stimulates their egg laying is not tuned to the UV spectrum as you imply, instead orange/red wavelengths are what appear to best stimulate the Peneal gland and increase egg laying cycles...

Feel free to read this article... http://www.onceinnovations.com/wp/w...ePapers_Energy-Savings-in-Poultry-Farming.pdf





Or read this article... https://extension.umd.edu/sites/default/files/_images/programs/poultry/Alphin Light Impact on Poultry 3-11-14.pdf



If you are unaware red light in about the 630 nm wavelength is well in the 'visible' light range, near the middle in fact, it's far from UV...

Or read this article... http://web.uconn.edu/poultry/poultrypages/light_inset.html





Or this one... http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/content/93/5/1289.long





If you read the above you will also see that other colors have their own benefits as well, but for egg laying the reds are what you desire...

In the end a custom tailored LED light setup that is tuned to the chickens red perception wavelengths is obviously optimal and best for egg laying stimulation, but that does not equate to other light sources like fluorescent being a waste of time as most are perfectly adequate, since they do put out a decent amount of light in the needed wavelengths...

Your typical fluorescent tube or compact tube will put out sufficient red wavelengths to stimulate egg production, as will most generic 'white' LEDs, using them is not a waste of money...

I personally provide supplemental light year round in my coop for at total of 16 hours/day with eight 9W 2700K CFL, my egg laying is steady all year with no seasonal changes due to light variations, but my coop is significantly larger than most...

Thank you for the information depth information! Is there a light that can simultaneously warm up the coop?

 

[Chickenmumma7]

Looks like you got lots of answers......Aren't you glad you asked?

I've used both an incandescent 40W and a CFL(100W equivalent), have no idea what 'color' they were...<shrugs>....they both worked just fine.
I prefer the light come on early mornings so they go to roost with the natural sunset.
It's best to ramp up the light slowly to avoid stress from a drastic change.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

Is there a light you can suggest where you can program a steady dimming or brightness on a timer?

 

[aart]

Is there a light you can suggest where you can program a steady dimming or brightness on a timer?

I've never worried abut dimming.
Light comes on in the early morning and turns off early afternoon.
Tho the CFL does take a little minute to come up to full brightness.

 

[Chickenmumma7]

I've never worried abut dimming.
Light comes on in the early morning and turns off early afternoon.
Tho the CFL does take a little minute to come up to full brightness.

Thanks. Battery powered brand you may suggest?

 

[aart]

Thanks. Battery powered brand you may suggest?

I would not/could not suggest a battery power light. Sorry.
If you can't get AC power to coop and must use a battery powered light, keep in mind it must be on an automatic timer to give consistent daily light.