Topic of the Week - Winter Egg Laying

Pics
Date sort Score sort
I dont supplement light, every hen has stopped laying apart from one who is a common hybrid. They will start back up again in February usually. Days are still pretty long here (sunrise at 7am sunset 5pm). And temps are just starting to get freezing at night.
 
Here’s our setup:

We have a large coop, ~15ft x 40ft for 16 hens. (It’s a fourth of a barn that was built around 1945). I have the lights on a timer that currently come on at 6:30am (currently about 15 minutes before sunrise) and go off at 6:30pm. The birds are let out to range via an automatic coop door at 10am with the coop door closing at 5:45pm, which is currently about 1 hour after sunset for our part of the world.

So, the lights are on for 11+ hours. This may seem wasteful, but our birds do like to go in the coop from time to time during the day to feed, and some are afternoon layers. I think it’s only courteous to have some light on for them. :)

Are we giving “supplemental light”? Yes, technically, but I‘m not doing it for laying, I’m doing it more for convenience and security.

Our flock was hatched in March and April of this year, and are giving us 14 eggs from 16 hens per day in Mississippi, USA.
 
sumi said:
View attachment 2902740

Winter is a time of the year when eggs are in short supply for many of us, though some troopers, like two of my hens, are laying like its Spring still. Many find though that their hens slow down or stop laying completely when the days get too short. And the eggs that do make it down the tubes are sometimes frozen before we get a chance to collect them! This week I'd like to hear from you about winter egg laying and egg dilemmas. Specifically...

- Do or don't you supplement light to keep your hens in production over winter?
- Are there other ways to ensure your flock stays productive, for example by replenishing the layers with young hens yearly?
- What do you do to prevent the eggs from freezing in the nest boxes, especially the folks that can't collect them in a timely manner.
- Tips for keeping winter layers happy and healthy?

For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive
Click to expand...
 
LizzzyJo said:
No Light, no heat. 5 new pullet girlies that are giving one egg in total every 4 days or so. lol. Almost everyone is molting and lookin like drown rats anyway!

How do you guys store your eggs? I made and froze a bunch of quiche, but I would love to hear how you guys do it!
Click to expand...
Unwashed, in cartons in refrigerator after the dozen is complete. Unwashed should last for 4-5 months this way, but mine are usually gone (eaten or sold) before they are 2 weeks old.
 
bobbi-j said:
An hour, or a couple of hours - it's really not necessary if they are out of the elements and don't have any draft blowing directly on them. The point Aart was trying to make is, they have their nice warm down coats on and are acclimated to the cooler weather. Bringing them in is probably more uncomfortable for them than remaining in consistent temperatures.

If you're worried about their water freezing, you could bring them warm water a few times a day since you're home anyway. Or, if you frequently get freezing water, a heated dog dish isn't that expensive.
Click to expand...
Cold water freezes slower than warm. It's a physics of heat transfer thing.
 
Do or don't you supplement light to keep your hens in production over winter?

Technically we have a light(led) in the pen that is adjacent to the coop- our older girls go in the coop when the sun sets. Only our 4 brahmas stay out about an hour after sun set in the pen


- Are there other ways to ensure your flock stays productive, for example by replenishing the layers with young hens yearly?

First year for chickens and in winter but plan on keeping our girls until they die

- What do you do to prevent the eggs from freezing in the nest boxes, especially the folks that can't collect them in a timely manner.

We are able to collect often and the pen where the nest boxes are is enclosed so it stays a bit warmer than outside

- Tips for keeping winter layers happy and health

Leaves, fresh veggies
 
sumi said:
View attachment 2902740

Winter is a time of the year when eggs are in short supply for many of us, though some troopers, like two of my hens, are laying like its Spring still. Many find though that their hens slow down or stop laying completely when the days get too short. And the eggs that do make it down the tubes are sometimes frozen before we get a chance to collect them! This week I'd like to hear from you about winter egg laying and egg dilemmas. Specifically...

- Do or don't you supplement light to keep your hens in production over winter?
- Are there other ways to ensure your flock stays productive, for example by replenishing the layers with young hens yearly?
- What do you do to prevent the eggs from freezing in the nest boxes, especially the folks that can't collect them in a timely manner.
- Tips for keeping winter layers happy and healthy?

For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive
Click to expand...
Our girls are still laying regularly. There are days here and there when one doesn't lay, but that happens no matter what the weather. I'm in Missouri, and the weather pretty much does what it wants. As for the eggs getting too cold, we have a hen that sits on them until they are gathered.
 

Similar threads

matthennessy
    • Like
Chickens stopped laying during first winter
Replies
6
Views
1K
Betsy57
Betsy57
Happily Retired
    • Like
Hens on STRIKE!!!
Replies
8
Views
416
Happily Retired
Happily Retired
ChicksofHeaven
Mature hen laying soft eggs
Replies
6
Views
636
rosemarythyme
rosemarythyme
junior67
dumb question: does the cold effect egg laying?
2
Replies
18
Views
2K
goats-n-oats
goats-n-oats
C
Case of the broody hen and smashed eggs.
Replies
2
Views
117
Crow_
C

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom