It hasn't been possible for Nature to take its course with domestic chickens for eons: All you have to do is look at the natural production cycle of wild birds -- no more than 2 or 3 clutches of eggs per summer -- to appreciate how the birds we keep have been bred to be production machines. The very least we can do for them in regard to artificial lighting is to at allow them the winter hiatus we have not (yet) bred out of them to suit our own purposes. The quality of their lives matters more than getting every possible egg out of them.
If I need to heat the coop during winter, I use an oil-filled radiator, which is safe and does not emit light. You can get them for about $40 at most big-box stores.
If I need to heat the coop during winter, I use an oil-filled radiator, which is safe and does not emit light. You can get them for about $40 at most big-box stores.
