Any experience with chickens reaching point of lay in the winter?

[meathook]

After finally getting my special use permit from the town after several months several meetings and a lot of work I finally was able to order my chickens.

If all goes well 5 Red Star and one EE should arrive next week. It looks like these chicks will hit laying age in December or January. Does anyone have experience with this. Will they actually start laying then or is it pretty much a lost cause until spring?

 

[Imp]

I had two pullets start laying last December, but I'm in mild Western Washington. Don't know if that makes a difference.

Imp

 

[meathook]

I should have mentioned I am in Western NY.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Well obviously you need to move.

I think laying is more connected to length of the day. The common wisdom here is that they need 14 hrs of light to lay. So you may need supplemental light in the winter. I don't think winter itself is a barrier. But that is just a semi educated guess.

Imp

 

[meathook]

Quote:
Well obviously you need to move.

There is some truth to that. I love living here. Western NY is beautiful people who have never been here have no idea but the taxes here and the cost of living is crippling. I most likely, like many, will not be able to retire here. Probably not a good topic to get me started on. Uggh.

I have heard that daylight was a major factor just wasn't sure if that was the only factor.

 

[card5640]

Im in Maine and some of mine started laying in Nov. I left a light on 12-15 hours a day...heat producing flood light, they never slowed down w/ their laying.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Well obviously you need to move.

There is some truth to that. I love living here. Western NY is beautiful people who have never been here have no idea but the taxes here and the cost of living is crippling. I most likely like many will not be able to retire here. Probably not a good topic to get me started on. Uggh.

It's funny. Having never been there I just kinda assume all of NY is skyscrapers and cement. I know better, but the mind just doesn't want to accept it. It's kinda like people assuming it rains in Seattle a lot.


Psst- It's just a rumor to keep people from moving here.

Imp- Now I'm in trouble. Hear the lynch mob coming


I have heard that daylight was a major factor just wasn't sure if that was the only factor.

 

[meathook]

NY is one of the most rural states in the union. Once you get 30 minutes out of the city (I never go anywhere near there) the rest of the state is farm country to the west and mountains (well eastern type mountains) to the North.

 

[cmom]

I got my chicks the first of Oct. they started laying end of Jan. and first of feb. no problems.

 

[farmin'chick]

On another thread, several people mentioned using low wattage solar yard lights to extend the daylight....