Advice & Opinions - Spring vs Summer Hatches?

[Ted Brown]

I reached out to a known breeder recently and in his reply he stated that early summer was late to be hatching chicks. I did a bit of searching, lots of what is too hot for chickkens and how to cool them off but lttle on the impacts of heat on hatching. Somehow it seems counter intuitive given the temperatures that one must maintain during the 21 day cycle and for weeks thereafter but subtlety is a reality in life.

Any any/all input appreciated.

 

[Perris]

I think the pros focus on early hatches in order to have birds ready for shows or to sell as POL in spring when customers are looking, and/or pullets laying through the first winter. Birds hatching now won't start laying till next spring, so for anyone concerned about cost/benefit, it's not ideal to hatch now.

 

[Ted Brown]

... Birds hatching now won't start laying till next spring, so for anyone concerned about cost/benefit, it's not ideal to hatch now.

Thanks, your client cycle point certainly makes sense.

Curious however about the "not start laying until next Spring" comment - as I understand chickens begin to lay in the 20-25 week time frame do they not? I also know that some breeds slow down during the winter. I have White Chanteclers that I have read are good winter layers so my expectation is that they will begin to lay in December?

Thank you.

 

[Perris]

chickens begin to lay in the 20-25 week time frame

it depends on the breed but more importantly on the daylength. If you have lights in your coop you can get round the latter, as commercial producers do, but if not, and especially with heritage breeds, they will not normally start laying again after moult until the days start lengthening, ie. in the spring.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Just in the record, I had a Pheonix hen naturally hatch out a group of 6 chicks around September 1st. Only one died and that was early this spring after calling in a trough. They made it all throughout winter in -20 nights and some days.