Smart Feeder - Light sensor values

[tixy]

I just got some new hens from a breeder. He said If I want eggs in the winter I need to have some lighting from say 4 or 5 am to get them up feeding and extending the daylight hours. He says he separated the hens of the same age, the ones for selling had no light and the ones for himself did and his are laying.

 

He thinks if you have no power there that you can get solar powered lighting with a timer. This sounds like a really good idea as long as they get enough rest as I had no eggs really last winter.

Does anyone know where you can get this set up.

Thanks

Edited October 22, 2011 by Guest

[Mercedes55]

Not sure I would want to put lighting where my girls are as I don't like the idea of making them lay more than nature intended. This is exactly what they do in battery farming, although obviously the lights are on for much longer. Our hens all laid throughout the Winter, apart from our pure breeds. I have read that any hen will only lay a certain amount of eggs in their lifetime, so by making them lay more they won't lay for as long. No idea if that is true, but it makes sense