Decreased daylight time and egg laying for soon to be layers

[wrathsfarm]

Good to know ! I won’t be waiting and expecting an egg at any moment.

My 4 POL (point of lay) just started laying last week. I'm in Mi. (Shortcoldcrappydays)
If you reach down to pet them and they squat for you, and have big bright red combs, their super close.....It could still happen.

 

[Loomischic]

Yes it will affect the egg production. There’s a good chance they will wait till spring to start laying. This has been the case for all my pullets who came of age this time of year.
What breed(s) do you have?

2 sapphire gems, 1 RIR, 2 prairie bluebells

 

[Loomischic]

2 sapphire gems, 1 RIR, 2 prairie bluebells

 

[jus10inla]

If you reach down to pet them and they squat for you,

Do not get people’s hopes up like this. Squatting is not a good indicator/ and if a rooster is present (at least one worth more than a bullet) a hen wont squat for u periodt.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Do not get people’s hopes up like this. Squatting is not a good indicator/ and if a rooster is present (at least one worth more than a bullet) a hen wont squat for u periodt.

That's odd. I really thought it was a good indicator.
Especially since all 4 of these POL's started squatting for me the week before starting to lay. And most all my other 12 hens did the same. AND... I have 2 Roosters.

I'm not saying my hens still squat. They don't. Because each flock has a Roo. But most all my pullets at POL always squat for me just before laying.

Maybe I'm the only one.

 

[aart]

I really thought it was a good indicator.

It can be.

 

[jus10inla]

That's odd. I really thought it was a good indicator.
Especially since all 4 of these POL's started squatting for me the week before starting to lay. And most all my other 12 hens did the same. AND... I have 2 Roosters.

I'm not saying my hens still squat. They don't. Because each flock has a Roo. But most all my pullets at POL always squat for me just before laying.

Maybe I'm the only one.

Do you handle your birds daily ? That ppays a strong factor. Im one of the strong supporters of 99.999% hands off as much as possible. If u handle them i might would see them squatting. In ~15 years of owning chickens i have had less than 10 ever swuat for
Me. And oddly enough is when I did not have a rooster at most of those times.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Do you handle your birds daily ? That ppays a strong factor. Im one of the strong supporters of 99.999% hands off as much as possible. If u handle them i might would see them squatting. In ~15 years of owning chickens i have had less than 10 ever swuat for
Me. And oddly enough is when I did not have a rooster at most of those times.

No I don't, only when needed.
Like I said my hens don't squat for me. Each flock has their Roo.
My response to the OP was in reference to POL pullets. Not hens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you handle your birds daily ? That ppays a strong factor.

That likely makes all the difference. I have no rooster and while I'm not very hands on with the birds, I'm hands on enough that POL pullets and hens coming back into lay will seek me out and squat for me. As it makes them easier to catch and they only free range with supervision, I encourage it.

 

[oldhen2345]

Good to know ! I won’t be waiting and expecting an egg at any moment.

Exactly right. I always time my chicks to come in the fall and by the time it starts to turn cold, they are fully feathered and out in the chicken yard. By the time they are old enough to lay, spring is here With longer days.