-22F last night and got 9 eggs from 10 hens today!

[gtaus]

I have been expecting my first year laying hens to start slowing down this winter. Last night it was a bitter -22F outside and the temp inside the coop was -16F last time I checked. Anyway, today I got 9 eggs from my 10 hens. To me, that's just amazing.

As I have stated in other threads, it has been days since my girls have gone outside. They have no desire to get out on the snow, I guess. I put down some nice bagged leaves and shredded paper to entice them outside, but no takers for about 3 days running. I thought the combination of cold weather, short days, and not going outside would result in fewer eggs. So far, I'm filling up the refrigerator with cartons of excess eggs. I just can't believe I'm getting between 6-8 eggs per day, every day.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Woo! Congratulations! Not bad AT ALL! That’s awesome.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Seriously, that's pretty dang good!!

 

[BY Bob]

That's amazing. What kind of hens do you have?

Mine stayed in their coop today, it was about 40° but there were very strong winds. I guess the wimps did not want to get blown away.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have been expecting my first year laying hens to start slowing down this winter. Last night it was a bitter -22F outside and the temp inside the coop was -16F last time I checked. Anyway, today I got 9 eggs from my 10 hens. To me, that's just amazing.

As I have stated in other threads, it has been days since my girls have gone outside. They have no desire to get out on the snow, I guess. I put down some nice bagged leaves and shredded paper to entice them outside, but no takers for about 3 days running. I thought the combination of cold weather, short days, and not going outside would result in fewer eggs. So far, I'm filling up the refrigerator with cartons of excess eggs. I just can't believe I'm getting between 6-8 eggs per day, every day.

Thank you so much for posting this.

I have posted this information many times before but there is very little correlation between production and temperature.
I spent an entire relatively severe winter tracking egg production of 5 flocks of chickens, daily high and low temperature, precipitation, both rain and snow as well as wind. There was no relationship between weather and egg production.
Production is primarily, if not solely, dictated by day length and whether it is increasing or decreasing.
So what might affect your birds production is that they don't want to come outside. That inside time will likely impact their pineal glands' collective detection of light period.
There is also the fact that this is your chickens' first winter. That means they will likely lay regularly through this first winter. Don't expect the same next winter. They'll molt in autumn and take a laying break. Some may resume after molt but most won't resume till after winter solstice.

 

[gtaus]

What kind of hens do you have?

I have 10 chickens, 10 different breeds. I just picked one of each of the most popular breeds sold at our local Co-Op and supplied by a hatchery. I really had no idea of what breeds to get, but I am more than happy with the results of my mixed flock.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Sooooo time to make cookies, breads, cakes and holiday egg nog??

 

[gtaus]

There is also the fact that this is your chickens' first winter. That means they will likely lay regularly through this first winter. Don't expect the same next winter. They'll molt in autumn and take a laying break. Some may resume after molt but most won't resume till after winter solstice.

I'll keep that in mind next year. Dear Wife and I don't need 9 eggs per day, so it won't hurt much to be down in the count next year. I am planning on "retiring" my girls after 2 or 3 years, but I have not quite decided how to do that yet. Dear Wife is already looking at the more plump girls and planning ahead. I am leaning on letting them "free range" their last years, and maybe build a separate setup for them apart from my "production" hens. Currently I have all my first year hens under a protected run and Fort Knox coop. But I suppose a less secure, and more free range, setup could be built for retirement of the older hens.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I'll keep that in mind next year. Dear Wife and I don't need 9 eggs per day, so it won't hurt much to be down in the count next year. I am planning on "retiring" my girls after 2 or 3 years, but I have not quite decided how to do that yet. Dear Wife is already looking at the more plump girls and planning ahead. I am leaning on letting them "free range" their last years, and maybe build a separate setup for them apart from my "production" hens. Currently I have all my first year hens under a protected run and Fort Knox coop. But I suppose a less secure, and more free range, setup could be built for retirement of the older hens.

Just so you know.....I have hens 5+ years old that lay regularly all spring, summer and fall. Some of them are giving me daily eggs through the winter right now.

They just might surprise you.

 

[gtaus]

Sooooo time to make cookies, breads, cakes and holiday egg nog??

I have learned to make eggs a number of ways for breakfast. I also make some pretty good custard for dessert. Recently I started pickling eggs which to the surprise of Dear Wife and myself are very good with salads and/or as a relish with a meal. I'm slowly learning other ways to use eggs, but baking skills is something I never did growing up.

Like most boys my age, I was in shop class while the girls took Home Economics. At my age, I truly wish boys were given the chance to take cooking classes back in the day. But we were funneled into gender expected classes when I was growing up. Looking back, I wish we had been exposed to more things than construction, welding, plumbing, or running electric wire. All good skills, but I really feel that cooking skills would have served me well in life. Thank goodness for YouTube videos which help even old guys like me.