buying my pullets late in the season.

[juliefurry03]

So this is my first attempt at chicken raising and I ordered my babies (5 buff brahmas) to be delivered beginning of May. Now I have been told this is late in the season to be ordering chicks, especially my specific breed. I estimated they would start laying around 6 months (November) but with that being winter time basically does that mean I shouldn't expect eggs until next spring? Would artificial lighting help them? I'm just looking basically for a what to expect when you're expecting...eggs type scenario.

I understand brahmas are slow to lay but they are the breed I fell in love with years ago so I don't mind the longer wait.

 

[goodb]

Brahmas do grow and mature more slowly. Supplemental light in the fall/winter will help with egg production. my experience was a 25 watt bulb on for 1.5 hours early in the a.m. and 2 hours in the evening was enough for my girls to lay solid through even this cold, hard winter. They were hatched in June and July to start laying in september and into November. However, they aren't brahmas. I have a friend who picked up a buff brahma special in October and she noticed that some of her girls just started laying last week. Hope this helps.

 

[juliefurry03]

Thanks! I really wasn't sure I wanted to mess with supplemental lighting in the coop (I saw some pictures of coops that started on fire because of heatlamps) but seeing as my coop is being custom built by me right now I can probably find a way to hang the light where the girls can't reach it. Is it bad for the chickens to set up the lighting so they hopefully lay in the winter?

 

[goodb]

Thanks! I really wasn't sure I wanted to mess with supplemental lighting in the coop (I saw some pictures of coops that started on fire because of heatlamps) but seeing as my coop is being custom built by me right now I can probably find a way to hang the light where the girls can't reach it. Is it bad for the chickens to set up the lighting so they hopefully lay in the winter?

I used the heatlamp in the coop only when it got real cold this winter. When the temp was suppose to be -10 or more. Other then that, it was only the light bulb. There are different thoughts on the supplemental lighting, do your own research. If they are to be pets and you can wait, let nature do what it will. You'll get a few through the winter and this time next year, watch out!

 

[PugetCountry]

I have 4 light brahmas that hatched last June. They started laying this February. They lay nice eggs and are very friendly! I didn't use any lighting.