Chicken breedsCoops and runsChicken careChicken behavior, BlogTerms and conditionsPrivacy policyContact me. They puff up their feathers and huddle down to keep warm, but many of them are constantly shivering, and most of them don’t have the energy to do anything but try to maintain as much body heat as possible. Hanging an old piece of sacking or feed bag over the entrance to a nest box so that it covers approximately two thirds of the entrance, even turning a chicken house around so that the nest boxes are North facing, out of the direct sun light can help stop bright sunlight from streaming in through the cracks. I’ve come across many anecdotes where people have done this, and they warn that their nesting boxes feel like ovens. I did not realize at the time that pine shavings are toxic for chickens (see my article, Pine Shavings in the coop: The secret chicken killer?, for more information). Integrate as much ventilation as you can afford and that your coop reasonably permits. Check out my review of my Rita Marie’s chicken coop, The BEST luxury coop you’ll ever buy: Spoil your chickens with Rita Marie’s. Fire is a small concern with a fan if it gets clogged with debris, although the chance of this is greatly reduced with sand bedding. This is a personal decision, and it’s understandable if you need a continuous supply of eggs during the winter. This not only helps to get rid of weeds, but feeds your chickens at the same time. In the colder weather, when the days grow shorter, the pineal gland ceases to send this hormone. In order to consistently lay eggs, hens need about 16 hours of daylight and 8 hours of darkness when they're roosting. Chickens require full-spectrum natural sunlight for vitamin D and overall health. This will allow the coop to absorb the heat from the sun and keep the coop warm. Yes, chickens need sunlight to lay eggs. Opening two or more windows at night will help keep the coop slightly cooler as it allows for more airflow. However, 14 to 16 hours of daylight will keep them producing top-quality eggs. I have one of these yards. Even in hot countries, chickens will lay fewer eggs once daylight hours decrease. The reason most chicken coops should be built in the shade, if possible, is because chickens tend to really struggle with the heat. Consider adding fans to your coop to help with the heat instead, and always place your coop in the shade. What to do if you don’t have shade (as I don’t, unfortunately), And why insulation in your coop is so absolutely important. Coops that are very hot, on the other hand, are incredibly difficult to cool down. Sunlight will increase egg production in Hens, so normal daylight hours will be just fine. David L February 9, 2012 As an avid beekeeper and advocate against the declining bee population, Amanda extracts, prepares, shares, and sells her honey and wax locally and enjoys chatting with her customers about bees and their positive impact on the environment, as well … When planted in full shade many varieties tend to fade to a plain green color. You’ll need more ventilation in a coop than you do in almost any other kind of animal housing, in fact. Chickens love being outside, and the light has a lot of health benefits; it’s an excellent source of vitamins, and it’s what chickens need to lay eggs. Some keepers have had great success with this, but when I tried it, my chickens had no interest. Pet Educate is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Some of my hens stretched out on their sides in weird positions on the floor (terrifying to see the first time), trying to expose a greater surface area on their bodies to the air. I can’t stress this enough. If where you live has hot nights as well as hot days, the temperature inside the coop can be unbearable for your chickens, if this is the case for you, you should provide the coop with an air conditioner. Even if your chickens are able to survive such conditions, they will live a much-reduced quality of life. Feeding your chickens is one of, if not, the most important task when it comes to raising backyard chickens. If you live in a very cold place (or you have deciduous trees that provide shade in the warm months), you may want to consider building your chicken coop in an orientation where it gets the most sun. Conditions inside the coop can be sweltering, and you should consider switching your straw bedding for sand, as sand is cooling. You’ll notice that the winter months are shorter on daylight than the spring and summer months. I help my chickens to be a little more comfortable in the cold with heaters. The need for lighting depends on the variety and species of the plant, and from other factors. Also, a shiny metal garbage can will get quite hot if in direct sun. Full Sun to Part Sun; Sunlight brings out bright colors in Sempervivums. As the days become brighter and longer, the hen’s pineal gland will send a hormone to her ovary to begin egg-production. This includes all links to Amazon. December's winter solstice (or June's, if you're in the southern hemisphere) sees daylight hours reduced to, at most, 8, from a summer high of between 14 and 17 hours (18 in northern Scotland, UK; 24 hours in northern Alaska!