Advice on egg laying schedules (yearly)

[hannahransom]

I currently have 8 chickens and think I would like to have about 25 at most times. I am hoping to raise dual purpose and eat excess roosters and any chickens that just don't cut it. I would like to have a rotation going so that I always have older and younger ones. I want to have enough eggs for my family (4-6/day) YEAR ROUND and then have some excess at times (when everyone is laying) to sell or give away.
Anyway, I saw on here about times you would want to get chicks to ensure they will lay over the winter and am wondering how this works. My current chickens were hatched in late October/early November.. Will they lay through this winter or will I need to get chickens this spring to have eggs in winter? I would like to get more but I can hold out if my currents will be laying this winter and only stop next winter. I live in a mild climate, so I can raise chicks any time of the year.
If my current ones WILL lay all winter, I think that for me a good time to get them would be September or so, because they would begin laying at a good time in the year.
Thanks!

 

[Fred's Hens]

In my experience, as outlined on my BYC page, the best insurance of having eggs next winter is to get pullets hatched now, in March through early May. That said, they'll need to be highly productive breeds and/or cold hardy laying breeds to begin with. That list is pretty long. BR, WR, RIR, BSL, RSL, etc.

There is a better than average chance that chicks hatched last October would go into moult next November and take 5 weeks off.

 

[hannahransom]

Thank you so much!
You just gave me an excuse to get chicks, too, look what you've done!

I read your whole page, and have been making my way through the OT thread. I value your posts, being that I am also into organic/sustainable practices (mine is more focused on homesteading, though).

 

[Fred's Hens]

Thank you. We are extremely focused on sustainable processes and self-reliance.

 

[MANOZ]

i agree,depending on what breed you have,different breeds take different lengths of time to lay from chick to laying hen. barred rocks and reds lay around 4-5 months old where as australorps may take a little longer to lay.but the idea is to have pullets old enough to lay during the fall - winter season.your other birds will moult and slow down on the laying ...pullets will not moult with the rest of the older flock.

thats a golden jewel i just gave you,

have 4-5 month old pullets around october, they will lay through the winter

check out ''the trap nesting thread'' lots of info and many links inside of the thread,