Do you give your hens breaks?

[song of joy]

I am not sure how I will feel when I have to go back to the store and buy eggs because my hens abruptly stop laying but I will not be doing any tricks to keep them laying, other then maybe getting more spring chicks that might lay through the next winter coming. I believe they take a break for a reason, so I will respect that.

There are a couple of things people can do to maintain the egg supply during the winter. As you noted, some people add pullets to their flock each year, as pullets hatched in the spring tend to lay throughout their first fall and winter, while the older hens in the flock are taking a break. You can also freeze surplus eggs during the spring bounty, so you'll have eggs to use when the flock takes a fall/winter break.

 

[donrae]

I've always allowed my hens to do what came naturally. Start laying around 5-6 months, molt around 18 months and take the winter off, start laying next spring, take each successive winter off.

This year I did start using lights. I had health issues and didn't get chicks early enough in the year to start producing before the older ladies took a break. I wound up buying some birds hatched this spring, who should have been laying. I don't know if it was the move or what, but I got like 2 eggs and that was it. These are first year layers, and I'd paid good money for them, so I figured they just needed a little boost. I started using lights and now get several eggs a week from each of those girls. My cuckoo Marans who I expected to take the winter off is also laying, but her schedule was kind of messed up by being broody late last year and molting right as she weaned her chicks. So, she had a break and I'm not concerned about her laying. My other older ladies are not laying, even with the lights and I'm okay with that. It's not something I plan to do regularly unless I want to be hatching or there's some other good reason.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Adding a light source certainly does help with egg supply. I did this for a few years and would note no difference in egg production from summer to winter excepting when temps stay below zero for weeks on end. No amount of lighting will change that. I don't use light anymore as I found pullets lay quite well without it. Not as well but well enough for me and no hassle running power or worry about securing a light. For older birds going through molt added protein will speed it up. This doesn't add stress or do anything unnatural it merely gives them the protein needed to grow out the new feathers. One can allow that with the low level protein feed and wait up to 5 months for them to come back into lay or supplement with canned cat food or change over to a 24-26% feed to get their feathers grown and back to laying in under 3 months. I'm all about protein intake and providing oyster shell on the side not using layer feed which is lacking in protein and giving calcium to birds that don't need it- birds in molt, point of lay pullets and cockerels. I get eggs in winter by selling off most of my year old hens and replacing with pullets I've grown out. So the best layers and breeding stock stay with me but are rewarded with pot pie after so many years service. There's a point they no longer are needed in breeding and egg production has slowed to unwarranted housing of them.

 

[JacksFarmNGardn]

They need sufficient protein more than fresh veggies, celery isn't much more than water.
Layer feed is usually the minimal 16% protein needed to lay, other foods in addition can reduce that protein down to insufficient levels.

They're not laying and don't really want them to anyways. They have their layer feed,corn and the veggies as treats. I feel like i'm being treated like I'm doing something wrong when I only asked a simple question.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Not scolding simply trying to inform. I don't like to bash a product as it does have it's place BUT layer feed is not good to use in most cases. People tend to give a lot of treats to their birds and nothing wrong with that but the low protein level layer feed is designed as a sole feed and for birds already laying. To me it's useless for most chicken keepers. The added calcium can set the pelvic bones prior to widening when a bird is in lay. This can lead to internal laying issues. A 20% protein feed is more suited for people who like to give treats such as scratch or veggies. The much touted ease of use layer feed is not your best choice. Birds should not be given extra calcium prior to lay and the low protein in layer feed is intended as a sole feed with no treats.

Food for thought, what I use is Turkey/gamebird finisher. It's a 20% protein "all flock" feed with normal calcium level around 1%. When birds are in lay supply oyster shell free choice. Layer feed is 3% calcium.

 

[aart]

Quote: Just trying to help by conveying info that you may not be aware of, granted my delivery is rarely more than just the facts - but I mean no harm.

Egghead has also pointed out the need for protein and that non laying birds don't need the calcium that is in in layer feed.
One reason I like feeding a higher protein ration is that I enjoy giving them other foods without diluting the needed nutrients for good laying and good molting.

 

[AuntNomi]

Not scolding simply trying to inform. I don't like to bash a product as it does have it's place BUT layer feed is not good to use in most cases. People tend to give a lot of treats to their birds and nothing wrong with that but the low protein level layer feed is designed as a sole feed and for birds already laying. To me it's useless for most chicken keepers. The added calcium can set the pelvic bones prior to widening when a bird is in lay. This can lead to internal laying issues. A 20% protein feed is more suited for people who like to give treats such as scratch or veggies. The much touted ease of use layer feed is not your best choice. Birds should not be given extra calcium prior to lay and the low protein in layer feed is intended as a sole feed with no treats.

Food for thought, what I use is Turkey/gamebird finisher. It's a 20% protein "all flock" feed with normal calcium level around 1%. When birds are in lay supply oyster shell free choice. Layer feed is 3% calcium.

I am glad that you said this. I have only had chickens since March so I am new and learning. But Have read so much on here because to begin with I did not realize that the employees at TSC were just that and didn't really having a lot of knowledge as to chickens ( I know some may, but not in my case) I was told to put mine on layer at around 4 or 5 months. I didn't really know any better, but when I came home with and kept thinking about the conversation with the kid, I thought I should at least get on here and find out. I also do not always know the correct way to word my questions, so I really got confused. But I feed all of mine Flock Raiser with oyster shell in a dish on the side. They get Purina scratch grain as a treat every once in a while.

 

[LeannS]

This is the first time in my life that I have kept a DIARY .not on me but for my 6 ducks.I have been on this DUCK ADVENTURE since November 14, 2015.Like taking a crash course on ducks with the help of this wonderfull
"BackYard Chickens .com. I am just protecting my investment on these 6 ducks and want to help them get through this cold winter with out sickness and death. They all were close to maturity but needed feed to able to lay eggs.
Hoping to have these same ducks for many years to come with out having to replacing them.
Getting a late start with ducks and a make shift shelter until a improvement in the spring.
I have learned so much that if I had to start over, I would certainly even do better. What I have done was not just for egg production, That was a bonus, I wanted to start out right by keeping them comfortable and safe.
The Khaki Campbell hen concerned me with her lack of feathers and she needed the heat lamp.

These great little tread starters fill in the gaps to more knowledge that I would never have thought of by my self.
So when every one feed off the comments made by others., it is very helpful.
A lot of information to absorb so I take notes beause this has been a crash course to my DUCK ADVENTURE.
THANK , YOU,

 

[WNCcluck]

Our girls get a break in the winter. There just seems to be a natural rhythm to the egg bounty of late spring and summer followed by molting and the rest of winter. All of our hens are a bit older (like their owners ).

 

[Sutremaine]

They're not laying and don't really want them to anyways. They have their layer feed,corn and the veggies as treats. I feel like i'm being treated like I'm doing something wrong when I only asked a simple question.

High-protein treats are another option, with bug larvae being a perennial favourite.

16% protein layer feeds are very carefully tweaked to provide the exact amount of protein for laying hens, and no more. If any part of their diet isn't that feed, then the non-feed portions should average out at at least 16%.

I don't think you've indicated yet what their 'normal' feed is?