Can time change screw up your birds' laying?

[tweetzone86]

Hello all!

Does time change affect laying? I have 12 26 week old RIR pullets that I'm pretty sure all 12 are laying (unconfirmed- tried butt check but I've got an inexperienced eye). I've gotten 11 eggs a day almost every day for the past several weeks (supplemental daylight LED 4' shop light on a timer for 14 hours/day).

Then time change happened on Sunday, and I adjusted the timer to reflect the new sunset time so where it was 4 am to 6 pm it's now 2 am to 4 pm (I should have adjusted it sooner but I forgot). Now I'm only getting 9-10 eggs a day, rather than the 11 I was getting consistently before. I know they won't all lay every single day, but it is a drop from what I've been getting and I was curious to see if time change was to blame. I certainly know it messes up my kids and me! (I have a sleep disorder which further screws me up with any change).

Note- I also got a huge 2.8 oz double yolk the other day, so maybe that particular chicken is taking a rest? I have no idea who lays what- most of them lay before I get out there, and the birds are near identical and I can't see their foot bands when they're laying on them

 

[townchicks]

Could be some of them are going into molt, that will stop them laying for a bit. It's that time of year.

 

[tweetzone86]

Could be some of them are going into molt, that will stop them laying for a bit. It's that time of year.

Even with supplemental lighting and their young age? They were hatched on May 8 of this year.

 

[H@tcher]

I don't change my timer. My chickens don't know what daylight savings time is and I don't want to teach them.

On a serious note, changing your timer means your light is coming on at a different time and yes the chickens realize this. It could affect them but they should get back into the swing of things soon. Even with a light, mine don't lay as well this time of year as they do in spring and summer.

 

[tweetzone86]

I don't change my timer. My chickens don't know what daylight savings time is and I don't want to teach them.

On a serious note, changing your timer means your light is coming on at a different time and yes the chickens realize this. It could affect them but they should get back into the swing of things soon. Even with a light, mine don't lay as well this time of year as they do in spring and summer.

I changed the timer because I didn't want the light suddenly turning off in the dark at night. Though a streetlight does shine in their window (couldn't stop it unfortunately) but it's not ultra bright I don't think but it might be bright enough for them to get to their roosts. I'm not sure.

 

[Dona Worry]

I didn't do anything with my timer. It still thinks we're on daylight savings.
My chickens just think I am an hour late to see them in the morning!
My COWS, on the other hand, are MAD MAD MAD. Cows do not like it when you are late to milk and/or feed them!

 

[Shadrach]

I hate daylight saving clock changes.
Every year it’s the same and I have to round up all the chickens and synchronise their watches. Every year they ask me why. I mutter some stuff about the war and kids going to school and I can hear the chickens muttering as I walk away ‘that bucket boy, he’s not playing with a full deck. The sun comes up and goes down no matter what his watch says’.

 

[H@tcher]

I changed the timer because I didn't want the light suddenly turning off in the dark at night. Though a streetlight does shine in their window (couldn't stop it unfortunately) but it's not ultra bright I don't think but it might be bright enough for them to get to their roosts. I'm not sure.

I certainly understand that. My light comes on at 4am and goes off at 8am. I like to let mine go to roost at sunset. They don't need the light during the day.

 

[tweetzone86]

I didn't do anything with my timer. It still thinks we're on daylight savings.
My chickens just think I am an hour late to see them in the morning!
My COWS, on the other hand, are MAD MAD MAD. Cows do not like it when you are late to milk and/or feed them!

I imagine so!

 

[tweetzone86]

I hate daylight saving clock changes.
Every year it’s the same and I have to round up all the chickens and synchronise their watches. Every year they ask me why. I mutter some stuff about the war and kids going to school and I can hear the chickens muttering as I walk away ‘that bucket boy, he’s not playing with a full deck. The sun comes up and goes down no matter what his watch says’.