Chickens laying less in the winter.

[SmColorInDaPan]

First thing I considered when folks said they were still getting eggs in Winter; Where they live and How much MORE light the chickens are provided. I live off the Electric Grid so NO Light bulbs for my bunch..
Someone Local did tell me recently, that chicks an Amish family bought, survived a WELL insulated shed. I may further insulate the coop I have. One may consider individual Choices before comparisons. Lordy Knows Comparisons, Expectations have brought sown MANY a Kingdom...

 

[ringaring]

My girls are still laying a few eggs every day in spite of the short days of light. An `old timer` chicken farmer told me the best way to keep them laying is to feed them fresh spinach every day. We tried it and it works !!!! Simple.

Certain breeds are great winter layers. I have Buckeyes, Australorps, Jersey Giants and Ameraucanas. I get 5-9 eggs a day from 11 hens, all considered cold weather breeds. No special diet, a heat lamp in their coop although they free range all day. A few eggs would be perfect to me: without a farmer's market open, eggs are accumulating fast and not all food banks will take eggs. What breeds do you have?

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[schmedlap]

Mine have just started laying after the fall molt. I got the biggest egg I’ve ever seen yesterday, see photo. These are Bielefelder hens now 13 months old now, hatched here last winter. I wear XL gloves and my wedding ring is size 11 1/2. Thing is huge!

that must have hurt!

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Certain breeds are great winter layers. I have Buckeyes, Australorps, Jersey Giants and Ameraucanas. I get 5-9 eggs a day from 11 hens, all considered cold weather breeds. No special diet, a heat lamp in their coop although they free range all day. A few eggs would be perfect to me: without a farmer's market open, eggs are accumulating fast and not all food banks will take eggs. What breeds do you have?

[/QUOTE]
The heat lamp provides light? That is why they are still laying. Food is not the reason, length of day is - whether natural light or extended with any other kind of light.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Well folks. My chickens used to stop laying in the winter. Now they are laying in the winter. The only difference is I now feed them handfuls of spinach every day. They are healthy and happy. That is all I know. For me it is working.

Where are you located? What latitude?

 

[Judy Todd]

Instead of Spanish, give them Kale, Collard Greens, Swish Chard plant.
Collard green ranked number one in calcium concentration!

I agree with that, I have swiss chard and kale in my garden and feed my hens that a few times a week. It grows all winter, slows down maybe in Feb.

 

[MykaMom]

My girls are still laying a few eggs every day in spite of the short days of light. An `old timer` chicken farmer told me the best way to keep them laying is to feed them fresh spinach every day. We tried it and it works !!!! Simple.

While I keep my girls supplied with fresh browse(spinach, cabbage, pumpkin etc) I don't push them. They also have artificial LED lights and heat in the coop, but I try to keep light timed to match the normal length of day. I think they deserve the break! Artificially increasing production during the off season wears them out, imho. Just my opinion.

 

[David61]

My girls are still laying a few eggs every day in spite of the short days of light. An `old timer` chicken farmer told me the best way to keep them laying is to feed them fresh spinach every day. We tried it and it works !!!! Simple.

Tell the truth, the old farmer looked like this right.

 

[Secondof9]

I have 3 hens and am getting 3-4 eggs a week from my Buff Orpington ONLY. The Pyncheon bantam quit a couple of weeks ago and the Barnevelder hasn't laid since May! I can't figure out why. She's is 1 1/2 years old and has never been a great layer. Last spring she laid a few beautiful dark brown eggs at random times but in mid-May just quit all together. I've tried higher protein feed, supplemental treats (meal worms, soldier fly larvae, sunflower seeds and lots of different greens)...nothing. They get balanced layer feed with oyster shell calcium on the side and baked, crushed egg shells occasionally. The other 2 girls are pretty regular layers and I'm fine with less production in winter. I want them to have that break and come back in spring with vigor, all rested up! I suspect my Barnevelder may not be "pure" because her feet are beige and not yellow as per the standards I've read, otherwise she does look the part. I'm stumped. I'm pretty sure my mother would've had her in the oven by now. LOL. Are there occasional hens that are non-layers??

 

[cssilkies]

I have never heard of feeding them spinach to improve production, so thanks for the tip!