Are they done?

[John Roth]

So I have Red sex links along with some other breeds and have notice that they have stopped laying for several months now. Do they stop laying sooner then other birds?

 

[sourland]

They do tend to stop laying sooner than some other birds, but generally provide two years of maximum production prior to tapering off. Did you have them on lights through the winter? They may just be going through a 'break' in the egg laying cycle or may be about to go into a molt. A lot depends upon their age.

 

[John Roth]

Can I ask what lights have to do with it?

 

[sourland]

Lights - extending the day length - cause birds to continue laying through the winter when they might normally take a break. Generally sex links will lay at least their first year without lights. Forcing production can cause birds to take a break in their egg laying cycle the following summer.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I had a sex link hen, started early, 4 months, layed everyday for like 8 months, stopped, never laid again, died a year later, not a fan of them, I do know that some chickens will stop laying because of the heat, resuming when it cools off.

 

[John Roth]

Unfortunately I need the lights. I live in Minneosta so we get temps down 50 below.

 

[Zerlog]

(deleted)

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Is it only your sexlinks that have stopped or all of them?

 

[Zerlog]

Unfortunately I need the lights. I live in Minneosta so we get temps down 50 below.

There is no problem with artificial light in your coop, so you can keep the lights.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

can I ask what lights have to do with temperature, if your using for heat I live in Wisconsin, and I never heat anyone in the winter