Whether you’re an amateur chicken farmer with a backyard brood or a full-scale poultry producer, you know chickens need light. But have you ever asked yourself why? Many people wrongly assume that the only reason is for sight. While that is part of the equation, it is hardly the entire answer.

Before modern agriculture, year-round chicken farming was not possible. This was because science had not yet discovered the impact of sunlight and darkness on production. It wasn’t even until the 1930s that what we consider the modern broiler was produced. Prior to that, chicken was rarely used as a meat source and only as a byproduct of egg production.

The 8.5 billion broilers produced each year will easily tell us times have changed. With that and the nearly 100 billion eggs produced, it behooves farmers to continually adapt their production models. One of those adaptations has been the use of LED light bulbs in their birdhouses.

Without getting too scientific, there are several basic reasons for lighting your poultry houses. Poultry need light to:

• Facilitate sight
• Stimulate internal cycles due to day-length changes
• Initiate hormone release

While those answers are simple, they are deceptively so. The science behind how light impacts each of those points has kept many scientists employed since the time it was discovered. Suffice it to say, it has a lot to do with wavelengths, retinal photoreceptors, and how artificial light replicates natural sunlight. For our purposes just understanding what it does is enough.

However, not all artificial light is created equal. Proper lighting can have a huge impact on production and your bottom line. It can lower electricity costs, improve weight gain, increase egg output, improve feed conversion, and regulate reproductive cycles. Investing in top-of-the-line lighting systems for your barns could pay dividends.

With that said, you may be asking, what are the options for lights and which is best? Let’s take a minute and answer those questions.

Options for Poultry House Lighting

There are several different options for light bulbs for your poultry houses. Here are a couple of the major players in the industry. All three have their benefits and drawbacks.

• Incandescent Light Bulbs – These bulbs create high amounts of heat and are inexpensive. However, they are highly inefficient. Now being phased out by most producers, they were standard for many years.
• Fluorescent Light Bulbs – There are several options for fluorescent bulbs, including, tube fluorescent, cold cathode fluorescent and compact fluorescent lights. They are more energy efficient and last longer (up to 10x) than incandescent. However, they are harder to dim and take up to a minute to reach full brightness.
• LED or light emitting diodes – LED bulbs carry huge energy-saving benefits, which is their primary draw. By most studies, LEDs are 80-85% more efficient than incandescent bulbs. However, they are much more expensive. Most LED bulbs emit multi-directional lighting, which is not necessarily good for poultry production.

Many in the poultry industry are making the switch to LED lighting to reap the benefits of the energy cost savings. However, many have asked the question; will the birds perform as well under LED bulbs as they do with other bulbs?

From numerous studies, the answer to that question seems to be a resounding, YES.

Why Choose Overdrive® for Your Lighting Needs?
One major drawback critics have identified with LED bulbs is the multidirectional light they give off. While this feature may seem perfect for commercial or home use, it is wasted energy in a poultry house, where the majority of the light should be directed toward the ground.

Additionally, the environment of a poultry house is not compatible with just any LED bulb. The dust, humidity, and ammonia in poultry production are harsh and most bulbs will not withstand that kind of abuse. We recommend selecting a bulb that has been tested in a chicken house environment.

We invite you to consider the light bulbs manufactured by Overdrive®.

Understanding Overdrive® Bulb Options

What makes Overdrive® light bulbs different? They have solved both of the problems we mentioned. They have created a bulb that concentrates the beam at the correct angle and can withstand the rigors of a poultry house.

Their high-quality LED bulb has also been shown to reduce growing time on chicks from 5 weeks to 4.5 weeks. It is definitely worth considering Overdrive® for your lighting needs.

• LED Overdrive® Dimmable – Designed with the ag industry in mind, this LED bulb is available in both 10-watt and 6-watt options. It also includes several different color output options (3000K and 5000K) to meet the needs of your poultry. They have an optimized beam that shines downward at a 120˚ angle to provide the ideal light. The concentrated, flicker-free light keeps birds calm and chicks thriving.
• Overdrive® Dimmer Controller - These dimmers are made for Overdrive LEDs and provide excellent dimming at low light levels. They also extend the lifespan of the LEDs, allowing for more hours of light when used with lamp and dimmers.

Find Out More
If you have made the decision to switch your poultry houses to LED, we believe you have made a good one. You should anticipate major energy savings and increases in production, both of which will add to your bottom line. Consider your options carefully, but we recommend Overdrive® to meet your poultry house lighting needs.

Check out the bulbs we mentioned and other options here. For questions about Overdrive® light bulbs, talk to any of our friendly QC Supply representatives - in-store or online.