Chickens need light to survive, and the quality and quantity of this light are important for healthy chickens. In these days of LED lights and poultry-friendly hours, it’s easy to forget that some chickens still live without. Whether you have an indoor or outdoor flock, there are a few things you should know about poultry lighting.

What Is Poultry Lighting?

Lighting is important for poultry because it helps to regulate their body temperature and encourages them to eat. Chickens need around 12 hours of light a day to produce eggs and meat. Different types of lighting can be used for different types of poultry, but all poultry require some type of lighting.

Why is it Important?

Lighting is one of the most important things you can do for your chickens. Chickens need light to be able to digest their food and get enough exercise. The amount of light that your chickens need changes depending on the time of year. During the winter, they need more light because they’re not getting outside as much. In the summer, they need less light because they’re getting plenty of sunlight. 

How to Set Up Poultry Lighting

There are many reasons why you should provide your poultry with adequate lighting. Chickens need at least six hours of light per day to properly function, and darkness can impair their vision, cause feather loss, and make them more susceptible to predators. 

To set up your poultry lighting, first, figure out the amount of light your breeders need. Chickens need around 100-300 foot candles (FC) of light to convert food into energy. Most poultry lights provide around 600 ft. To determine how many lights you’ll need, take the square footage of the area where your breeders will be living and multiply that number by the number of chickens you have.

Conclusion

Poultry lighting is an important part of a successful poultry operation. The chickens need to be able to see where they are going so that they don’t get lost and injure themselves or each other. Furthermore, good poultry lighting can help improve egg production and meat quality.