chicks and eggs in winter

[DaphneBeard]

I got 7 chicks, they range from 3 weeks old to 6 weeks old. I have a New Hampshire red (6 wks), a Silver laced Wyndotte (3 weeks), a white legbar (just over 3 weeks), a blue maran (4 weeks), a blue astrolop (4 weeks), a buff orpington (3 weeks) and a barred rock (4 weeks). I was thinking by the time they are mature enough to lay eggs it will be winter here in Colorado which makes me think they won't actually lay until Spring of 2025 - is that correct?

 

[Debbie292d]

I got 7 chicks, they range from 3 weeks old to 6 weeks old. I have a New Hampshire red (6 wks), a Silver laced Wyndotte (3 weeks), a white legbar (just over 3 weeks), a blue maran (4 weeks), a blue astrolop (4 weeks), a buff orpington (3 weeks) and a barred rock (4 weeks). I was thinking by the time they are mature enough to lay eggs it will be winter here in Colorado which makes me think they won't actually lay until Spring of 2025 - is that correct?

They will lay when they are old enough. The weather doesn't matter unless it's incredibly hot or cold. In the winter, most chickens do slow down a little bit or stop to rest for a bit, but new layers don't need to rest and will most likely start laying when ready.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Most likely you will see some delay in onset of laying, but that might not apply to all the birds. So some might start laying "on schedule" some might hold off until closer to spring, while others may fall somewhere in between.

 

[Yardmom]

Once hens have an established laying cycle they do not tend to lay when days are shorter (some breeds and birds might). The shorter days seem to affect a few pullets, but many will lay when they mature enough to lay. I have had pullets that started to lay at or near the solstice.