buff orpington and egg laying in winter questions

[davimi]

We have 4 buff orpington hens. They were laying about 1 egg every day or so a piece. Now that it is winter they have almost stopped. I had heard that buff orpingtons were supposed to lay all winter long. Shoiuld I do something different to help them?...add heat to coup, different feed

 

[Schultz]

We heat and give artificial light to keep them laying, but that's just us

 

[The Chicken People]

What are they eating? How many hours of sun or artificial light per day?

 

[davimi]

I give them the purina brand egg laying pellets. They have a coup and a closed in run. I noticed because of the cold they are in the coup more. The coup does have a skylight in it to help with the light. we do not use any artificial light.

 

[DaKid]

ADD some artificial light so that they have at lease 14 hours of light in the coop , that will help.

I have some buff orpington and mine are still laying like crazy, with lights on in there coop ,on at 4:30 am ,and off at 8o pm .


Alan

 

[davimi]

Should I use a light just for the light source of also for heat?

 

[DaKid]

the light will end up doing both,

how big or small is ur' coop, is they run door close at night or open,

 

[Bandit]

I upped the protein in my BO's feed and got one of the two to start laying every day again. Worth a try.

 

[Joyryder]

Mine are still laying well. I do use artificial light. 20% protein feed, because I add cracked corn. And as much free vegetation as I can get.

 

[xC0000005]

My Buffs had stopped laying as well. After two weeks under the light I'm up to four eggs a day from six chickens. Not perfect but not bad either. I should've had a light hooked up already but I didn't. Once I did the laying picked up in two days and then gradually increased. I suspect the heat from the CFL is negligible but the buffs don't seem to mind cold.