How to know what to do?

[Member 671655]

It depends on how many eggs you need. I would wait to be sure they are past the molting season. We have room for 12 chickens and only need eggs for one household so can allow hens to retire naturally. When they became ill or are injured we then cull to ease suffering when a chicken can't recover. Everyone has different needs and philosophies on this.

Right. Our family eats at least a dozen eggs a day and we have 34 hens but are only getting 12 eggs a day so something’s gotta change were spending a fortune on feeding for just one dozen out of that many birds

 

[Evadig]

were spending a fortune on feeding for just one dozen out of that many birds

My birds hardly eat any of their feed but survive mostly off foraging (they do steak some of the duck food but mostly it’s whatever they find in the yard)!

 

[aart]

Our family eats at least a dozen eggs a day and we have 34 hens but are only getting 12 eggs a day so something’s gotta change were spending a fortune on feeding for just one dozen out of that many birds

Keeping chickens is no way to save money on eggs......even if they were all laying.

 

[Morrigan]

Right. Our family eats at least a dozen eggs a day and we have 34 hens but are only getting 12 eggs a day so something’s gotta change were spending a fortune on feeding for just one dozen out of that many birds

This is the challenge of raising chickens for eggs. Typically, the only chickens who will be laying in the late fall and winter, are those young hens who hatched out earlier this year. After a hen goes into her second season, she will typically molt sometime in the late summer or fall, and then not resume laying until the days start lengthening again around February. Once they start back up again a 2 and 3 year old hen should still be nicely productive and usually lay larger eggs than their first year.

Bottom line -- if you want enough eggs to sustain your family through the winter, you need a lot of hens that less than a year old. How many, if any, of your older and temporarily non-laying hens you want to keep is entirely a matter of personal choice.

If you goals are to maximize eggs and minimize costs, I would keep all the hen less than year old and then save only those older hens who you feel are adding enough to the flock to justify feeding them through the winter break. Maybe they have genetics you want to breed into future hatches. Or good flock leaders, or good at raising chicks. There isn't a right answer, it is what works for you.

 

[Member 671655]

Keeping chickens is no way to save money on eggs......even if they were all laying.

My allergies . Point blank period this life has saved my life. To each their own.

 

[Member 671655]

My birds hardly eat any of their feed but survive mostly off foraging (they do steak some of the duck food but mostly it’s whatever they find in the yard)!

You probably have a much larger yard. The ducks are absolute pigs. They eat everything before the chickens get to eat. I love them all but the meat birds and ducks are def big eaters and poor laying hens get pickings we feed several times a day

 

[Member 671655]

Keeping chickens is no way to save money on eggs......even if they were all laying.

The health benefits to me are immeasurable. This life has saved my life. No joke. I was dying. Getting off crap food saved me . Doctor was astounded

 

[Member 671655]

This is the challenge of raising chickens for eggs. Typically, the only chickens who will be laying in the late fall and winter, are those young hens who hatched out earlier this year. After a hen goes into her second season, she will typically molt sometime in the late summer or fall, and then not resume laying until the days start lengthening again around February. Once they start back up again a 2 and 3 year old hen should still be nicely productive and usually lay larger eggs than their first year.

Bottom line -- if you want enough eggs to sustain your family through the winter, you need a lot of hens that less than a year old. How many, if any, of your older and temporarily non-laying hens you want to keep is entirely a matter of personal choice.

If you goals are to maximize eggs and minimize costs, I would keep all the hen less than year old and then save only those older hens who you feel are adding enough to the flock to justify feeding them through the winter break. Maybe they have genetics you want to breed into future hatches. Or good flock leaders, or good at raising chicks. There isn't a right answer, it is what works for you.

Thank you!!

 

[RojoMarz]

I've heard of a three year rotation...
year 1 - get chicks
year 2 - get chicks
year 3 - get chicks, cull year 1
year 4 - get chicks, cull year 2
year 5 - get chicks, cull year 3
year 6 - get chicks, cull year 4
continue pattern...

 

[aart]

My allergies . Point blank period this life has saved my life. To each their own.

The health benefits to me are immeasurable. This life has saved my life. No joke. I was dying. Getting off crap food saved me . Doctor was astounded

That's great. I was only pointing out the financial aspect.

I've heard of a three year rotation...
year 1 - get chicks
year 2 - get chicks
year 3 - get chicks, cull year 1
year 4 - get chicks, cull year 2
year 5 - get chicks, cull year 3
year 6 - get chicks, cull year 4
continue pattern...

This is what I did, still doesn't guarantee winter eggs(without using lights).