Hens' point of lay mid-winter (NZ)??

[thewhyblockl]

My BR hens are just turning 23 weeks old at the end of this week. It is mid June, so it is also mid-winter here in New Zealand. What will happen with the first lay? Will it be postponed until spring (September?) That's 10 more weeks. Can they really hold off that long? And what if the (very randy:/) rooster gets it on with the hens before they reach lay? Also, the rooster will be all right if he eats a fair portion of the hens' layer pellets won't he? It would be difficult to keep him away from it. Thanks!

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Rooster can totally eat that food-no issues whatsoever-mine do

POL hens will lay in Winter too. MIne do-In fact the cold months dont slow mine down as I feed them alot of extra protein enriched foods during WInter to make sure they lay

 

[AKsmama]

My chickens came into lay in winter here in the US and everyone started just fine.

My roosters eat the layer food with no problems. As far as the roosters mating with the girls before they lay- I'm not sure what you're asking. It doesn't affect when they'll begin laying.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Yes, winter is fine for POL. I purposely brooded a batch of layers last September with hopes of POL being mid-late January. It is extremely cold here and they did better than the older hens with the cold. They were active and boisterous as young ones are. Their contribution in late winter was a great help to our egg business. I don't push layers in winter, but I do have a 40 watt bulb on a timer to give them 12 hours of light. Our winters are very, very dark, with days shortening to as little as 6 hours. Just that little bulb for 12 hours of some light kept everyone happy, it seemed to me.

 

[winniechick]

I'm from NZ too and my girls both started laying this month after their moults, not worried about what time of year, they have their own clock and it is past the shortest day now so yours should be all good.