Does timing of chick raising affect egg production?

[PowellAnimals]

I know that Spring is the most popular time to raise chicks. Does raising chicks in summer/fall affect egg production? I have several two month old chicks that will be hitting the six month mark in the middle of winter and am also getting some chicks early September. Am I basically losing their most productive cycle? I seem to remember reading that the first two years are the most productive and I basically am skipping a large part of their first year producing. I am hoping they just pick up and reset in the spring and go on to have two strong years? Any experience on the subject?

 

[MeepBeep]

Female chickens are born with a fixed number of eggs at birth... That is the number of eggs that chicken has the potential to lay in it's life, no more... So delays in starting to lay generally just shift the laying period, not shorten it... It's true that the first 2 years are the most productive, but as long as the chicken is healthy (and still has eggs) they can be productive longer, it's not an exact science...

 

[Percheron chick]

My June chicks have been good layers their first winter with no supplemental light. They've all started to lay during the holidays and continued until their first molt the following fall.
I think late fall early winter is a great time to start chicks. They are big and feathered out so they can handle the winter fine. Come spring, they are laying and earning their keep.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I always get my chicks in June, by December they are laying when all my older ones aren't, they pick up into Spring. I will never do it any other way.

 

[ninjawesome]

Hens tend to lay smaller eggs less often than usual in the Winter. When you get chicks in late Summer/Fall, your hens will be laying by Springtime - when it warms up - so they will lay larger eggs more often in their egg-laying stage. I think raising them through Winter is a fine idea.

 

[PowellAnimals]

Wonderful, sounds like a happy accident! Thanks everyone!