DO YOU GET LESS EGGS IN THE WINTER? & how do you get more?

[RUMBLON]

OK, so I am new to the chicken gig. We have had them for several years but they were free range and the daily egg hunt got old. It was my wifes thing until last week, when I gave them their own coop approx 16X 22 or so and am now trying to figure out how to get the best production out of them. I have maybe 25 chickens, 13 of which were born here from other chickens this summer and are not of egg laying size yet. I have at least three roosters and maybe more if I am right about one or two. In any case, I see fewer eggs in the winter and am not sure if its their new coop that I currently have them stashed in for several days to get them familiar with it or if its the season as they have always seemed to produce less in the winter?

RUMBLON

 

[chicmom]

If you have shorter daylight hours in the winter, you will have less eggs. I light my coop from around 7:00 in the morning until around 8:30 or 9:00 at night, and the egg production stays pretty good.

Right now, your hens are probably adjusting to their new coop, so they might be upset and not lay as well for a while. New things do upset a hen.

Sharon

 

[CMV]

They always produce less in the winter because of the length of the day. Chickens need 14 hours of light per day for optimum egg production. If you want to increase your winter production add supplemental lighting to increase their day length. Just be wary of the fire risks of lights in the coop.

Good luck.

 

[ginbart]

If you add a light do it in the morning I used to have mine come on around 3 am and it stayed on until 7:30am. I was told by a state ag person that you should do it in the morning while they are in their pens.

 

[MIKE555444]

Yea... 14 hrs of light is the key...

We decided to keep it simple and cheap. The light on the timer works independent of the other light that is on a light switch.

 

[RUMBLON]

Thanks, I have lights in the chicken side because it used to be a large shed area. Now I would need to figure out how to get the switch lighting to go on and off!

Thanks again

RUMBLON

 

[ginbart]

Quote:
I think I got my timer at Wal Mart and it wasn't that much. Welcome to BYC