Chicken Synergy
March, 2002

During the hydroponics cycle conducted from Oct 6, 2001 to March 6, 2002 a set of five Rhode Island Red chicks purchased in April, 2001 were housed next to the hydroponics, sharing the light. It has been reported that chicken breath has amonia which provides nitrogen to plants, such that they make good greenhouse residents. In addition, any light used to grow hydroponics can be utilized on the periphery to trigger egg laying in chickens.

Incandescent Light

Incandescent bulbs were placed in a corner of the chicken coop from April to the start of the cycle, burning 24 hours a day. From the start of egg laying, the five Rhode Island Reds laid an average of 2.56 eggs a day for the flock, or an average of .107 eggs per light hour.

 

Halide Light

Within a week of the Metal Halide light, burning 18 hours a day for the hydroponics cycle, the flock began delivering an average of 4.44 eggs a day, or an average of .247 eggs per light hour, an overall increasing in laying some 2.3 times greater under the influence of Halide vs Incandescent light.