Brand new layer. Will she lay all winter?

[iPeanut1990]

I have 3 RIRs. They are 19 weeks. One of them laid her first egg on Thursday. Not sure if we have 2 who are laying or just 1. We have gotten 3 eggs so far! Will they keep laying all winter? I'm so excited about eggs now! I don't want them to only lay some before winter sets in and then no more until spring Are they too late in the year to keep laying? Also is there a chance the ones who aren't laying yet will start laying soon or will we have to wait? I'm obviously new to chickens. I was getting worried we wouldn't get any til spring and then the first one showed up!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The younger they are, the more likely they will be to lay throughout the winter. Next autumn you can expect them to molt and take a break. They'll likely start up again after 2 or 3 months. In subsequent years, they'll take a longer winter break only to lay well as days lengthen provided they're healthy and getting appropriate nutrition.

 

[tcstoehr]

Some breeds are known for being good winter egg layers than others. RIR happen to be one of the good ones. I figure there will be some slowdown although I am not speaking from experience. I guess both you and I will find out for sure this winter as my recently-begun-laying RIR (and others) will go through their first winter.

 

[One Chick Two]

Our P RIR started were born last March and June, and started laying last fall, and laid throughout all last winter. They are hard molting now, and maybe little more than half of them are currently laying. (Some days are often like 30-8 out of 61.)

Really, it does depend on how much light they get in winter. We are in a sunny area for a majority of the year.

 

[iPeanut1990]

Thanks everyone!