What daylight hours do you need in a chicken coop. What should be the lighting of the chicken coop

Welcome to the site website. Today the article belongs to the section “Aspects of growing poultry”, namely, we will try to analyze the issue of chicken coop lighting a little.

These bulbs can be used in a chicken coop

The effectiveness of lighting in a chicken coop has been proven for a long time. In summer, the chicken coop can be lit through the windows, but in winter additional lighting should be used to provide the chickens with comfortable conditions. The correct lighting system ensures the normal development of the birds, improves the size of the eggs and their weight, as well as the strength of the shell.

Light day for laying hens should last at least 14 hours. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the light turns on and off at the same time every time. The chicken coop should be equipped with main and control lamps. Place the lamps so that the chicken drinkers and feeders are well lit, but make sure that the birds do not come into contact with the lamps and wiring. The number of fixtures is calculated so that there are 5 watts per square meter.

How to organize the lighting mode in the prichnik

When dusk comes, the chickens see almost nothing. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the organization of lighting in the poultry house: at the end of the day, first turn off the main lighting, but leave one or two control lamps, depending on the size of the chicken coop, so that the birds can settle down to spend the night on a perch. After five to ten minutes, turn off the control lighting.

Also plays an important role lighting intensity. If you are raising chickens, use light for the first few days. 30-40 OK. This will encourage the chicks to drink water. Gradually reduce the illumination to 5-7 OK. Such light should remain from three weeks of age until the end of growth. For keeping adult chickens, the illumination will be optimal 10 OK. And if you are breeding a parent family, you will need lighting 15 lx, because below this level, the sexual activity of roosters decreases.

Lowering the brightness of the lighting allows you to reduce the aggressiveness and plucking of feathers among birds. However, many foreign firms use illumination 20-25 lx, because they believe that chicken eggs are more polluted in low light.

Your chicken coop lighting system needs to be well planned. Please note that over time, the lamps will become dusty and their brightness will decrease.

Lamps for chicken coops also differ in color. Scientists have found that blue light calms birds, blue-green promotes good growth of chickens, red-orange improves reproductive functions. Also, red light is used to reduce feather picking, but this light reduces the duration of egg laying. Therefore, red lamps are not used for young animals.

Coop light is an important factor in the growth of healthy hens and roosters. It has a positive effect on future offspring. The lighting in the chicken coop should be complex, it consists of lanterns of a certain power and color.

Lighting type

When creating conditions for birds, it is important to choose the right light.

You can buy lamps and lanterns at any hardware store or make your own. So that artificial light does not harm laying hens, you should first read the instructions, which say what types of lighting exist and where they are used.

A lantern is a great device for lighting a chicken coop.

Choosing a decent option in our time is not at all difficult, given several requirements:

• lanterns and lamps are selected taking into account the area;
• Good LED bulbs
• fluorescent lamps are not inferior to LED;
• for the dark corners of the chicken coop, there are special nutria lamps.

Also an important factor is the color of the lamps.

This is especially true for domestic chicken coops:

• blue color is calming;
• green color affects the physiology of chickens;
• the egg-laying of birds may suffer from the red color, so it is better to avoid it;
• orange color is the opposite of red, affects the increase in the number of eggs.

The chicken coop should always be filled with moist air. Everything related to electricians is better to bring outside.

When it's time to install the lamps, the time of year and the biological rhythms of the laying hens are taken into account.

The brightness of the lighting plays a big role. Only emerging chickens need the brightest light, and for broilers that are already twenty-one days old, the amount of light is reduced by a factor of three. If there are roosters in the building, then average values ​​​​are set.

It is worth turning off the light at night, after the animals sit in their places. Otherwise, the hens will search for a roost until dawn.

It is better to use lamps with a smooth decay, so the lighting for broilers is similar to natural. This trick reduces the number of bursts of aggression and panic from individuals. Sudden shutdown only exacerbates the situation.

The effect of light on chickens

Chickens cannot live without light. Properly selected lighting will not only improve the productive system, but also reduce the number of injured individuals and correct their hourly rhythms.

Lighting in the chicken coop involves the division into 2 components: the intensity of the light supply and the duration of its radiation.

Use of light:

• small chickens will find food more easily;
• aggression will decrease;
• control over the process of growing chickens.

The first method is to change the mode twice a day, so that the illusion of sunrise and sunset appears in the room. With the second method, it is possible to carry out Light changes throughout the day with several repetitions. If we take into account the opinion of experts about which of the regimes is more productive, then farmers are inclined to the third option - continuous.

For small chickens, laying hens and broilers, the light mode is selected individually. Depending on the age of the birds, the time of illumination of the room should also be regulated. The activation of the internal processes of birds falls at night. It is then that the shell is enriched with minerals, the body is saturated with microelements, which has a positive effect on the general state of the immune system of laying hens. It is very important to maintain an optimal lighting regime in order to normalize the level of minerals in the body. In conditions of poor lighting for the chicken coop, the exchange process and growth stop.

Change in indicators in winter

In winter, domestic chickens should receive enough light, despite the decrease in daylight hours. To prevent laying hens from laying less, you need to stock up on additional equipment to artificially illuminate the chicken coop. Such an additional regimen will increase the number of eggs during the wintering of birds. To make the consecration process convenient for both chickens and owners, poultry farmers install special devices - relays. On days when it is not possible to leave the house at night, such a relay with a timer will be the solution to lighting problems. The timer is an inexpensive mechanism with several modes.

A relay to light a chicken coop is easy to do on your own at home.

Here are the steps in the build process:

• first you need to assemble the lamp, OSB is suitable for this;
• then you should mount the wiring;
• the lamp is assembled and fixed on the wall;
• the timer is connected to the lamp;
• it is important to program a timer so that the light in the chicken coop turns on at dawn and turns off after sunset.

The duration of lighting in winter should be determined taking into account average statistics.

Installing light for heating

In winter, the house must keep warm. To prevent the birds from freezing and catching the virus, it is important to keep the chickens warm during cold weather. If it is not possible to leave the babies with a laying hen, then it is better to make a brooder for them. This is a special box that is used for chickens immediately after birth. It has the right light and heating.

• the floor must be dry;
• the surface on the floor should not slip;
• the humidity in the room must be controlled;
• a bowl for feces should be placed under the bottom;
• the brooder should not let in drafts;
• the heating system must be controlled.

The construction of such heating will help the chicks not to freeze in winter.

Good afternoon, dear site visitors and subscribers. Today we will discuss the effect of light on the productivity of laying hens and their physiological state. In poultry farming, light is one of the main technological elements. Intermittent and continuous lighting for laying hens has a powerful effect on the nervous, endocrine and reproductive systems, actively affects the growth, development, viability and productivity of the bird.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, it was believed that in terms of feed intake, ovulation and oviposition, daylight hours were an important factor. However, back in the 50s, this theory, after the well-known works of D. King, was refuted.

It has been convincingly proven that under constant lighting regimes, it is not the total daylight hours for laying hens that is important, but the nature of its change.

D. King, having analyzed extensive literature on the results of growing and keeping chickens in natural conditions, came to the conclusion that autumn hatching chickens are always more productive than spring hatching chickens. Why?

Autumn hatching chicks grow and develop when the length of natural daylight hours gradually increases. And they enter oviposition when the duration of natural daylight hours begins to gradually decrease. After that, he concluded that oviposition in chickens is stimulated not by the total duration of daylight hours, but by its gradual action, as happens in nature in springtime.

Having caught this pattern, he developed constant light regimes for growing and keeping in windowless rooms and as a result received an increase of - 60 eggs per laying hen per year. No breeding program in the history of poultry science has achieved such tangible results in such a short time.

After these works, numerous studies on the development of a rational mode of constant lighting for replacement young and adult chickens of the egg direction of productivity followed in the world. Proper assembly of switchboard equipment allows remote control of lighting zones without disturbing laying hens.

Among domestic works in this direction, it is necessary to mention the studies conducted under the direction of N.V. Pigarev. Thanks to which the science-based lighting program for laying hens has become the main component of the intensive egg production technology in our country.

Conclusions on daylight hours for laying hens

Numerous experiments and extensive factual material allowed N.V. Pigarev and co-authors to formulate the following provisions:

1. Increasing daylight stimulates the sexual development of pullets, but somewhat delays their growth. The early egg-laying caused by this is accompanied by frequent cases of laying eggs without even small eggs;
2. The shortening daylight delays the sexual development of pullets, but contributes to their further good growth, with a significantly larger mass of the first eggs and the best use of feed;
3. A short stable daylight hours (6 hours per day) delays the sexual development of pullets to a lesser extent than a short one, providing higher egg production with lower egg weight and live weight.

The stated principles are of the most general nature and need to be specified. This attempt led to the following conclusions:

1. Changes in light schedules have little effect on growing pullets up to 10 weeks of age;
2. The critical period for rearing pullets, in which the effect of daylight on puberty is most pronounced, is the period from 10 to 16 weeks of age, when daylight hours for laying hens should not increase;
3. A constant 6-hour daylight hours from day old to sexual maturity leads to a decrease in the mass of eggs;
4. A constant 8-10 hour day prevents early puberty as effectively as 6 hours, but does not affect egg weight;
5. Constantly decreasing daylight hours do not hold back puberty if its duration is at least 12 hours by 120 days of age;
6. If a stimulating light program is introduced at 16-17 weeks of age, it should be gradually increased.

Lighting for laying hens in the coop

Intermittent lighting for laying hens

Recently, intermittent lighting for laying hens has been increasingly used in egg poultry farming. It, in comparison with constant light around the clock, allows not only to increase egg production, egg weight, shell strength, duration of use of laying hens, but also to reduce feed costs, livestock loss, and energy consumption.

In addition, with intermittent lighting, the bird behaves calmer, is less prone to stress, there are practically no cases of injuries and pecking in the herd.

The digestibility and use of nutrients and minerals of the feed are significantly increased, the scattering of feed is reduced, since the bird consumes 40-48% of the feed from the norm in the dark. With intermittent lighting, it is not the total duration of daylight that is important, but at what time of the day the light is provided, and what is the result of the duration of the “subjective” day, i.e. the period that chickens in the intermittent lighting mode perceive as daylight hours.

Depending on the ratio of periods of light and darkness, all modes of the discontinuous method can be divided into two types: asymmetric and symmetrical. The bird reacts to them in completely different ways.

Asymmetric intermittent lighting

Modes of intermittent method of asymmetric type (for example, 2C:4T:8C:10T) are perceived by the flock of chickens as a single change of day and night. In terms of feed intake, ovulation and laying, the longest period of darkness is perceived by hens as night, and the next daylight period is the beginning of the "subjective" day or "dawn". Other short periods of darkness are ignored by the bird.

In the herd, there is a general synchronization of oviposition, that is, its coincidence with the “subjective” day. We can assume that synchronization takes place if about 80% of the eggs are laid during the "subjective" day. The degree of coincidence, however, cannot be rigidly “tied” to this value, since it will vary depending on the level of productivity of the bird.

With asymmetric lighting, the productivity of laying hens increases, and feed consumption decreases, or both indicators remain at the same level as with constant lighting. It is regimes of this type that are increasingly being used in egg poultry farming.

Symmetrical intermittent illumination

Under conditions of intermittent lighting of a symmetrical type (for example, (3C: 3T)x4 or (1C: 3T)x6, etc.), chickens cannot clearly distinguish between "subjective" day and "subjective" night, since all periods of darkness, as well as periods of light are the same in duration. In herds of chickens, desynchronization of oviposition occurs, that is, it continues for 24 hours.

However, in general, egg production decreases with a simultaneous increase in egg weight and improvement in shell quality. An increase in the live weight of poultry is especially characteristic, and therefore, it is more expedient to use symmetrical lighting for laying hens in broiler production.

The difference in the duration of periods of darkness is a more important factor in the synchronization of oviposition than the difference in the duration of periods of light. So, for example, the 6S:10T:6S:2T mode causes synchronization, but the 6S:7T:4S:7T mode does not.

In order for synchronization to occur, a “subjective” day must not exceed 16 hours. From the point of view of the productivity of chickens, a “subjective” day lasting 14-16 hours is more rational.

The duration of the “subjective” day under intermittent lighting, and its shift towards the morning or evening hours of the day, affect the laying rhythm in the flock, as well as the weight and quality of the eggshell. Thus, the shift of the “subjective” day towards the morning hours, as well as the reduction of its duration from 16 to 14 hours (with the simultaneous turning on of the light after a long period of darkness) lead to an increase in the number of morning eggs and, consequently, an increase in their mass and shell strength, and vice versa.

In the body of a bird there is a daily endogenous rhythm of photosensitivity. The photosensitive phase for chickens has been reported to occur 11 hours after the first light ("dawn") is turned on and lasts 5 hours, although this period may be interrupted by short periods of darkness.

Intermittent lighting modes for laying hens

Our studies have shown that when developing and using intermittent lighting modes in egg poultry farming, it is advisable to take into account the duration and frequency of alternation of photoperiods in the photosensitive phase.

Changing the duration of exposure to light during the photosensitive phase can be used as a method to regulate the circadian rhythm of oviposition and egg weight. Thus, a reduction in the duration of illumination from 5 to 1 hour during this period leads to a significant shift in oviposition to the morning time and an increase in the mass of eggs, and vice versa.

Taking into account the above patterns, researchers have developed intermittent lighting modes.

• When growing rearing young animals - a constant light day with a decrease in its duration from 23 hours at a daily age to 10 hours at a weekly age, followed by the transfer of birds to intermittent lighting according to the 3C: 2T: 3C: 16T scheme with a total duration of the "subjective" day of 8 hours per day up to 17 weeks of age.

• When keeping laying hens of an industrial herd from 17 weeks of age until the end of the productive period - 2C: 4T: 2C: 9T: 1C: 6T with a total duration of the "subjective" day of 15 hours a day.

• When keeping poultry: 18th week - 3C: 2T: 3C: 14T: 0.5C: 1.5T; 19th week - 3S:2T:3S:12T:1S:3T; 20th week - 3S: 2T: 3S: 10T: 1.5S: 4.5T; from the 21st week to the end of the productive period - 3S: 2T: 3S: 9T: 2S: 5T with a total duration of the "subjective" day of 15 hours a day.

• For breeding hens with artificial insemination: 18th week - 3C:2T:3C:16T; 19th week - 0.5C: 2T: 3C: 1.5T: 3C: 14T; 20th week - 1C: 3T: 3.5C: 1T: 3.5C: 12T; from the 21st week to the end of the productive period - 1S:4T:4S:1T:4S:10T with a total duration of the "subjective" day of 14 hours a day.

• When breeding from 17 weeks of age until the end of operation - 1C: 2T: 4C: 1T: 4C: 12T with a total duration of the "subjective day" 12 hours a day.

Many years of experience have shown that replacement young animals grown under constant lighting can be transferred to intermittent lighting for laying hens during the productive period, but the reverse option is not practical.

Of course, the best results are obtained by using the intermittent method until the end of the life of the chicken family.

How to switch to intermittent lighting?

It is possible to switch to intermittent lighting for laying hens at any time of the productive period, only the first turning on of the light after a long period of darkness should be done no later than with constant lighting, and even better 2-3 hours earlier. When using intermittent lighting, it is advisable to distribute 25-30% of the daily feed allowance before the evening blackout.

It is known that the source of dietary calcium is completely digested in about 12 hours. Therefore, if it is fed at 2 pm, then by 2 am, that is, just in time for the intensive formation of shells in many chickens, the feed will be completely removed from the gastrointestinal tract. With a lack of a food source, 30-40% of calcium comes from the bone depot.

However, the quality of the egg shell is always higher when the body uses a food source of this element for its formation than bone tissue calcium. With a floor system for keeping breeding birds, it is not advisable to use intermittent lighting modes. Since a large number of laying hens in the herd will stop using the nest and the number of dirty eggs will increase dramatically.

Chickens naturally have poor eyesight. And in winter, the light becomes less, so it is necessary to provide the bird with artificial lighting. Thus, it is possible to reduce losses due to a decrease in the productivity of chickens: with the right light, the bird continues to actively rush. In addition, under normal lighting, young growth grows and develops better, gains weight well.

Chicken coop lighting red in winter

With regard to aspects of illumination, it is important to pay attention to two main points here:

• light intensity;
• lighting brightness.

Proper adjustment of these two parameters allows you to achieve:

• reduction of pecking of eggs by hens;
• optimal development of young animals;
• decrease in the timing of seasonal molting;
• the fastest finding of water and feed by chickens.

In addition, by adjusting the light, it is possible to reduce the stress of birds when trapping for slaughter, wing trimming,

Lack of lighting may be one of the reasons why

Adjusting the duration of lighting, will help to achieve the following goals:

• accelerating the development of young birds;
• increase the appetite of chickens;
• decrease in the molting season;
• optimization of the start and timing of egg laying.

As a rule, the need for additional lighting of the chicken coop arises in our climate starting in October. If this problem is not taken care of, chickens may stop laying eggs or significantly reduce productivity.

Too bright light for the chicken coop is also useless. In such an intensely lit room, chickens usually become cocky, aggressive, restless: bright light has a bad effect on their natural biorhythms and psyche. For example, a ten-meter chicken coop area will be enough to equip with one 60-watt light bulb.

You may also be interested in information on what to do

On the video - general information about the lighting in the chicken coop:

Pros and cons

Winter chicken coop lighting has both its advantages and disadvantages. We will discuss these important aspects in more detail below.

pros

Thanks to artificial lighting, egg production of chickens does not decrease in winter: such a peculiar way of deceiving natural biorhythms. If you leave the birds in natural poor lighting, the poultry farm will suffer losses.

Additional lighting will allow young animals to develop better, save chickens from some diseases that occur in conditions of high humidity, dampness and darkness.

Artificial light will help you quickly and conveniently make the morning and evening feeding of birds.

Minuses

Artificial lighting disrupts natural bird biorhythms. In winter, chickens usually molt, and they also need to make up for the lack of calcium at this time, which was formed during active summer egg production. Due to the fact that additional lighting is being built in the chicken coop in winter, the bird's body does not have time to recover.

Due to the lack of a break in the laying, the birds are more likely to get sick, and the eggs themselves are more likely to be defective.

Artificial lighting is a fire hazard: especially if it is made hastily with violations of technology. And due to the fact that electricity costs a lot, the cost of maintaining a chicken coop increases.

In order to rush normally, develop fully and feel good, the chicken needs 12-14 hour daylight hours. Therefore, the light in the chicken coop in winter begins to turn on early - from about six in the morning. And when it finally dawns, you can turn off the lamps. In the evening, the light is turned on when it starts to get dark outside, and you can turn it off, setting the chickens to sleep, as early as 20 o'clock.

DIY lighting

Consider the main points on equipping a chicken coop with artificial lighting.

Number of lamps

To calculate how many lamps are needed, you need to know exactly the power of the latter. The optimal and standard ratio is 1 W of power per 1 sq. m of chicken coop area. Do not forget to correctly distribute the lamps into zones, given that in some of them the brightness and intensity of lighting should be lower.

If the chicken coop is large, you will need several lighting lines: here, most likely, you can’t do without the help of professional electricians.

On the video - the organization of lighting in the chicken coop:

Lamp arrangement

The lamps must be placed in the chicken coop in such a way as not to bump into them with your head when walking, however, to be able to repair or replace them without the help of ladders and ladders. Therefore, the height of the ceiling in the chicken coop is usually about 1.8-2 m.

Place the lamps higher under the ceiling, or close them in a tight dome case

It is better to hang not just bare lamps, but protect the latter with translucent shades: such protection will protect the lamps from dirt, moisture and dust. Choose strong enough lampshades so that they serve for a long time and do not break.

Wiring

When pulling electrical wires, keep in mind that the very center of the chicken coop is usually the most humid. Therefore, the main communications should lie outside the premises - this will be more secure. The shield also should not be inside the chicken coop.

Automatic system in the chicken coop in winter

In order for the light to turn on and off at a certain set time, electrical equipment is usually installed, equipped with a relay with a timer configured as necessary.

With this convenient function, you can adjust the intensity and brightness of the lighting, set the desired mode for turning on and off the lamps.

However, if the chicken coop is small, then it would be more rational and expedient not to spend money on automatic lighting, but to either unscrew some of the lamps on your own, reducing the light intensity, or replace them with less powerful ones if necessary. Or you can buy an inexpensive Chinese timer with limited functionality, which will fully justify the money invested in it.

The wiring is laid in the usual way. The same applies to the installation of lamps. Just be sure to consider the power of the lamps depending on the chicken coop area. Fixtures are best fixed with metal corners for reliability.

But in addition to lighting, it is worth attending to the question of whether

On the video - lighting in the chicken coop using a timer:

Smooth transition timer

It is recommended to equip the chicken coop with a timer, as this device can make life much easier for the poultry farmer. You can choose the simplest model: if the chicken coop is small and the livestock is small. The timer is plugged into an outlet or connected to lighting wiring. Each device implies the setting of a specific program: it must be selected. Usually, any person with at least a little familiarity with the technique can easily cope with the setting.

After setting up and checking the mode, the poultry breeder can sleep peacefully: the light in the chicken coop will turn on and off at a strictly defined right time. And if you purchase a more advanced timer, you can also adjust the decrease / increase in light intensity, decrease / increase in its brightness in certain areas of the room. Organizing the correct maintenance of chickens, you should take care of.

On the video - how to set a timer with a smooth transition for the chicken coop:

Types of lamps

The chicken coop can be equipped with various lamp options - let's take a closer look at the strengths and weaknesses of the latter.

Incandescent lamps

This option is the most budgetary, and also compared to others - environmentally friendly. Incandescent lamps are easy to use, uncomplicated, easy to change, they additionally heat the room a little, they shine quite well. Such lamps can be used at cold temperatures, as well as for spot heating, say, cages with chickens. Minus - short service life.

Such lamps are installed, including for disinfection of the premises.

LED

Such lamps are characterized by a long service life (more than 50 thousand hours). Now manufacturers produce, among others, special models of LED lamps designed for poultry farms.

A great option that can be installed high under the ceiling

This option is simple and unpretentious in operation, it can work at different external temperatures. In addition, the LED lamp is economical, resistant to moisture, dust, pollution. It is possible to control the intensity of lighting, which is important in this case. Minus one - the high price, but such a lamp pays off very quickly.

Fluorescent

Also a great option for a chicken coop. Fluorescent lamps exude even white light, durable and reliable. In addition, the price for these models is lower than for LED ones, and they are not inferior to the latter in terms of efficiency. The disadvantages include the need to dispose of fluorescent lamps, environmental friendliness.

Such lamps are installed both on the wall and under the ceiling.

energy saving

Such lamps will reduce energy costs, as well as adjust exactly the spectrum of lighting that is needed. Minus - expensive cost, non-environmental (mercury), the need for disposal. In addition, many farmers complain that in a poultry house, energy-saving llamas for some reason serve much less than the period declared by the manufacturer.

Since such lamps are quite expensive, it is best to use them in a special box.

As for the color of the lamps, the best choice would be white. But if it is possible to equip lamps of different shades, then keep in mind that:

• blue calms;
• orange has a beneficial effect on reproduction;
• birds do not peck eggs under red lamps;
• Grow better under green. But it is worth paying attention to how to organize

So, we got acquainted with the features of the winter lighting of the chicken coop. With proper lighting, chickens will lay in winter as well as in summer, and young growth will quickly grow. As you can see, it is not difficult to equip the chicken coop with the necessary lighting on your own. Using the tips from the article, you can provide the chicken coop with the necessary light, and the birds with all the conditions for successful growth and development.

By their physiology, birds are more sensitive to light than humans. Their visual acuity is higher, but they are well oriented only in the presence of a sufficient amount of light. In the dark, chickens see almost nothing. This feature is widely used in the technology of keeping birds - when the light is turned off, the chickens stop all activity and fall asleep.

What does light affect?

In the process of growing, the farmer operates with two factors of illumination.

Intensity

It is measured in lux (Lx) and measures the brightness of light. To measure it, a special device is used - a luxmeter.

If you have some skill, you can determine the intensity of lighting approximately, "by eye". Almost complete darkness is 0.5-1 Lx, bright twilight is about 5 Lx, bright artificial light in the room is about 50-70 Lx.

By changing the intensity of lighting in the poultry house, you can achieve the following goals:

• help day old chicks find food and water;
• reduce the amount;
• carry out manipulations with the bird without stress (trapping, vaccination, wing trimming, etc.);
• to provoke an annual molt, to reduce its terms;
• control the development of the young.

At large poultry farms, the cost of organizing lighting is up to 20% of the construction budget.

Daylight hours

The second important factor is light in the poultry house. In terms of the time of turning on and off the light, the following processes are regulated:

• feed intake;
• broiler growth;
• puberty and the beginning of oviposition of laying hens;
• annual molt;
• in the hot season, the production of heat by birds is controlled.

Based on these two indicators, a lighting program is compiled. It can be continuous - with one block of darkness or intermittent (with two, three or even four blocks of darkness). In a farm environment, it is better to use continuous programs. They will be different for broilers, replacements and laying hens.

Periods of darkness are very important for all birds without exception. At this time, bone tissue is formed, calcium metabolism changes (which is important for the strength of the shell), and important immunity factors are produced.

Therefore, round-the-clock lighting for broilers and layers is contraindicated!

As for the color vision of chickens, low perception in the violet part of the spectrum is of practical importance. Blue light is perceived by chickens as darkness, therefore, when catching and regrouping the herd, they use blue lamps.

A bright poultry house is convenient for both chickens and staff. When arranging the lighting system, different intensities are provided in different areas of the chicken coop. So, chickens prefer to feed when the illumination on the feeder is 60 Lx, and for egg-laying and resting on the perch, they need twilight of 0.5-1 Lx.

The lamp mounting example shown in this photo is suitable for a small chicken coop.

Depending on the size of the room, several lighting lines are mounted. With cellular content, they are placed above the passages between the batteries. The height of the lines should be such that workers do not touch them with their heads, but can easily reach them with their hands for changing lamps and other maintenance (about 1.8 - 2 m). It is recommended to purchase and use shades for lamps to protect them from dust and moisture. If necessary, the shades can be painted blue or red (reduces pecking in chickens).

If the feeders are inside the cage (in the middle), then lighting should be additionally arranged above them in each cage.

Turning the light on and off is advisable to automate by installing simple electromechanical relays. In small farms, the brightness can be reduced by replacing the light bulbs with weaker ones or unscrewing them through one (although the uniformity of lighting will suffer).

The simplest automation of lighting in a chicken coop using a time relay (photo from the author's site).

In large farms, it is recommended to install a dimming system that includes a "sunrise-sunset" function. It allows you to adjust the intensity of the light throughout the growing cycle without fussing with bulbs. In addition, with such a block, the light in the house does not turn on abruptly, but smoothly, imitating the natural course of events. With this on and off, chickens do not experience stress.

In small farms, it is quite possible to get by with natural light by providing windows. And to increase the length of daylight hours in the winter season, hang one or more incandescent lamps over the feeders.

Too bright sun can become a problem with the early development of pullets - in this case, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of setting darkness in the house (closing the windows with curtains or shutters).

Let's talk separately about which lamps are best used in the lighting system.

Advantages and disadvantages of different types of lamps

Ideally, lights used in a poultry house should be low energy, dust and moisture resistant, low maintenance, and dimmable. In poultry farming, several types of lamps are used.

Incandescent lamps

"Light bulbs of Ilyich" on large poultry farms are no longer relevant due to high energy costs. However, in a small chicken coop, they are quite appropriate. Their advantages are as follows:

• low cost of the lamp;
• ease of maintenance;
• environmental friendliness;
• good spectral range of light;
• it is possible to regulate the degree of heating with the help of thyristor installations;
• if necessary, they provide additional spot heating

Fluorescent Lamp

The classic fluorescent lamps for rearing chickens are also becoming a thing of the past.

It is fairly widespread. This type of fixture gives a uniform white light, they are relatively inexpensive and consume little electricity. They are durable, easy to install, and the cost of maintaining such a system is low. The cons include:

• cheap fluorescent lamps give a flickering effect that the human eye does not catch, but which a bird sees;
• from the point of view of chickens, such a lamp has a poor spectral range;
• to be able to adjust the intensity of lighting, you need to purchase lamps with dimmers, which are very capricious in a chicken coop and often fail;
• exhausted lamps cannot be thrown into the trash - they must be disposed of.

Energy saving lamp

The advantages of such lamps

• low energy consumption;
• the ability to select the desired spectrum (warm white).

The disadvantages include such moments

• high price;
• inability to adjust the desired brightness well;
• in the conditions of the poultry house they do not withstand the declared service life;
• used lamps must be disposed of.

There are special colored lamps for poultry farming from the Gazolek company on the market. They are called "Orion" and work on the principle of conventional "energy saving". True, the cost of such light bulbs is several times higher.

According to the manufacturer's recommendations, the combination of different colors (blue, white, red and green) in the house increases the productivity of broilers and layers. Note that science on this issue does not yet give unambiguous answers.

Energy-saving lamps do not require complex automation and ceiling lamps.

LED lamp

Today it is the most progressive type of lighting in poultry farms. The advantages of LEDs are many:

• long service life;
• resistance to pollution and damage;
• good spectrum of light;
• ease of maintenance;
• the possibility of fine regulation of intensity;
• low power consumption.

Such systems are quite expensive, but even compared to energy-saving light bulbs, LEDs pay off many times faster.

The photo shows various versions of single LED lamps.

Lighting programs for broilers and egg birds will differ in both day length and intensity. When day-old chicks are settled in a poultry house, all types of hens need bright light and a long daylight hours. So chickens find food and water better, get used to each other and to the environment in the room.

The first 5-7 days for broilers and 7-14 days for replacements give only one hour of darkness and maintain a brightness of 40-50 lux. Further, programs are used depending on the goals pursued.

As for an adult laying hen, the light day for her should last 13-14 hours a day with a light intensity of 10-20 Lx, which equals approximately 6 W per square meter of floor.

With the cellular content of laying hens, the light regime comes to one of the first places, along with the choice of cross and feeding.

How to develop your own program

If you are serious about growing broilers, then in terms of maintenance, you need to follow the recommendations of the manufacturer of each particular cross. Suppliers post this information on official websites and distribute it in the form of a content guide.

To organize lighting in the chicken coop with your own hands, we recommend using the recommendations of our website.

The goal of any program is to organize feed intake in such a way as to stretch the chick's crop and allow him to first form the bones and then build muscle mass.

• Start significant light restriction when birds reach 100-150 grams, generally starting at 7 days old. It may be necessary to start before day 7 (if overweight is achieved).
• After the first day of light restriction, chicks will reduce their intake to 20% of normal. It's not scary, it will recover within 2-3 days. In the future, the bird will consume the amount of feed normal for its age, but with less hours of light. Chickens will develop larger crops.
• Use one block of darkness. Apply darkness at night even with dense walls to reduce the effect of light penetration.
• Keep the off time the same throughout the grow. Changing the lighting period is done using the light on time.
• In open-walled houses it is very important to know the time of sunrise and adjust the time of darkness accordingly.
• In general, reduce the period of darkness after the 21st day or when the chicks reach 800 g.
• Before slaughter, increase the time of the "day" to 23 hours. 24-48 hours before trapping, increase the illumination intensity to 10-20 Lx to acclimatize the bird to trapping.
• During the hot season of the year, you need to reduce the number of hours of darkness. Let the bird eat in the cool of the night.
• In summer, combine the greatest block of darkness with the dawn. In winter, match your lights out with dusk so your bird wakes up during the coldest part of the night.
• It is best to organize a smooth on / off within an hour using a sunrise-sunset device.

Examples of lighting programs for broilers

It is irrational to be tied to age, because. There are many crosses of various productivity. Therefore, they are repelled from the estimated weight.

Weight less than 800 gr. at the age of 21 days

Weight 800-850 gr. at 21 days

Weight more than 850 g in 21 days

In the last two programs, you can see that darkness is used to reduce the rate of muscle building on the still weak bones.

Programs for replacement young animals

Light directly affects the puberty of pullets. Therefore, the golden rule for rearing laying hens is: never increase daylight hours during development. If natural light enters the house, then the following can be recommended:

• Use supplemental lighting so that daylight hours from 8 weeks onwards are similar to natural light at 18 weeks of age.
• Use supplemental lighting to ensure long enough daylight during the growth phase and then cut back to natural daylight at 18 weeks of age.

In general, the lighting program for replacement hens looks like this.

In this way, we prepare the birds for laying eggs and increasing feed intake.

Summing up, we note that light plays an important role in the growth and development of chickens. You can regulate these processes with the help of proven programs for additional lighting, where you set the duration of daylight hours and the intensity of lighting. There are programs for adult laying hens, for replacements and for broilers. They can be used in finished form, or they can be slightly modified depending on the resulting productivity.