4 month old pullets..... do I need to do lights for them to start laying?

[My1stChickens]

Background: This year I decided to add youngsters since I was down to two very old hens (9.5 years) I added 5 "pullets" in June, two of whom turned out to be roosters so had to rehome the boys and was down to 3 pullets. One started laying in October, one early November and the third just this last week. Because I now had 3 pullets instead of the 5 I had planned on, I got four more 8 week olds in early October. They finished four weeks of quarantine a month ago but were in rough shape, missing feathers, wild/feral so they have not yet been integrated with the others.... and now it's getting cold. They are now four months old and big enough to integrate but I'm not sure I can catch them to move them from a separated area of the run, into the coop at night, then back out. So they are still in the barn, not integrated.

Since my 7 months old pullets are all laying I'm not desperate for eggs. I've been leaving the coop light on for a couple hours in the evenings, to extend lights. Now that they are all laying, can I stop that lighting and they'll keep laying?

And the 4 month olds.... should I be extending their daylight to keep them on track to lay at around 6 months? They did have a rough start as babies-- overcrowded and no handling. If doing lights will be a stressor I can wait til spring for them to lay.

I do plan to integrate them in December, but not in the next week since we're having a cold snap with overnight lows in the high 20's. I'll wait for days at least 50 degrees, and nights at least above freezing. Mine are typically out in a large run during the day, and have an 11x13 converted horse stall as their coop. There is at least 15' of roosting space, and once they all can roost together, I do have LED panel heaters for a bit of warmth. But at first, they may roost separately or might continue to sleep on the floor like they do now. They will roost during the day, but pile up in a corner on the floor at night. They are the weirdest babies I've experienced.

thanks for any input/advice with regard to the light situation.

 

[Debbie292d]

Pullets, their first year, will usually lay all winter when the older hens aren't, or are laying way fewer as they're taking a break.

Most of us don't use any extra lighting, and they just lay when the time comes for them to lay.

 

[Crazy Chicken Keeper]

I never use lights. They'll lay

 

[My1stChickens]

Pullets, their first year, will usually lay all winter when the older hens aren't, as they're taking a break.

Most of us don't use any extra lighting, and they just lay when the time comes for them to lay.

Thank you! This is a bit of a relief, I've always wanted to put the hen's well being ahead of production. I just never had any that would reach that age in the middle of winter.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Since my 7 months old pullets are all laying I'm not desperate for eggs. I've been leaving the coop light on for a couple hours in the evenings, to extend lights. Now that they are all laying, can I stop that lighting and they'll keep laying?

The normal cycle for chickens before they were domesticated was that they started laying eggs and hatching chicks in the spring when the days are getting longer, kept laying eggs and raising chicks in the good weather days of summer, but stopped laying eggs and hatching chicks when the days get shorter in the fall. They stopped laying and use the nutrition they are eating to molt and replace worn out feathers. Then when the days get longer in the spring they started the cycle over.

When we domesticated them we changed them some about how many eggs they lay and whether or not they go broody and how often. But one thing that has not changed is that when the days get shorter they stop laying and molt. If you stop adding the extra light you could easily cause those three to molt. I do know that they will molt for sure but you certainly have that possibility.

I'll repeat because I think it is important. The length of the day isn't that important. Whether the days are getting longer or shorter is important.

And the 4 month olds.... should I be extending their daylight to keep them on track to lay at around 6 months? They did have a rough start as babies-- overcrowded and no handling. If doing lights will be a stressor I can wait til spring for them to lay.

I do not extend lights. I've had pullets start laying anywhere from 4 months old to 9 months old and start at any time of the year. Most start at 5 to 6 months of age in late summer or early fall. I had one set of pullets that did not start laying until early December when they were 9 months old. The shortest days of the year. They were 6 months old in early September when the days were still fairly long, before the fall equinox.

Yours will be 6 months old in late January if I have counted correctly. The days will already be getting longer. Not a lot longer, but some. I personally would not extend lighting. You can if you wish, I'm not convinced it will help that much but as long as you do not later shorten the days it will not hurt.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

…I'll repeat because I think it is important. The length of the day isn't that important. Whether the days are getting longer or shorter is important…

This is interesting!

So you believe that chickens can detect whether daylight is shortening or lengthening by 3-5 minutes/ day? I’m not surprised, as my body is very upset having my alarm go off at 6:15, when the girls only start to awaken at 7:00.

I thought it was more a matter of not enough total light hitting their pituitary gland to trigger hormone release.

Not arguing; this is a new concept to me.