Egg Estimate? UPDATE!

[AccentOnHakes]

Don't worry; this isn't a "when will my pullets lay??" question. It's similar, though.

I have two EE's, about 10 months old now. One started laying at the end of July, the other started early September. Now, here's my question. The one that started stopped for the winter quite early, late September to early November. The other laid for about another month, then also stopped. I'm not exactly sure because I thought then when they stopped, it would be a gradual decline leading to a stop. (One hen laying an egg a day, then an egg every two days, then every three, then none.) As I soon learned, that was not the case! They followed their normal schedule, then just stopped. Note that I do not supplement lighting. Also, I live in California, if that helps any with calculating daylight hours.

So my question is, anyone have estimates for when they will start again in the spring? I know it has to do with how many hours of sunlight there is. I'm thinking maybe late February for one and early April for the other, about? Not really sure.

ETA: I forgot to mention something. The girl who stopped laying first molted around Thanksgiving, the other hen is in molt right now.

February 2, 2012: One has laid! Picture and story down below. Will be sure to update when the other starts!

 

[bobbieschicks]

It will be based on 12 to 14 daylight hours - so depends on how sunny your Feb & Mar will be. I know the days have already started getting longer here in VA, but we also get alot of rainy days during that time frame so it's still cloudy & that helps to reduce "daylight" hours. I've been supplementing with morning and evening lights. And I look forward to turning those off - probably at the end of March. Hope you get someone with a CA address who can answer you better

 

[AccentOnHakes]

Thanks for the input, Bobbieschicks. I had heard 14 hours from threads about supplementing artificial lighting. Right now, I think we are at around 10 to 11 hours. I know this because as a highschooler, I'm currently waking up before the sun!

 

[ChicKat]

Hi AccentOnHakes

Your chickens will also have to have completed molting before they are likely to begin laying again. Once they start---post back with the information. It will be interesting to a lot of BYCers.

 

[AccentOnHakes]

I'll try to remember to update you guys in the spring.

Their molts are very light and almost over, it seems. The hen that molted first is over already, and the second is on her way. Because they are so young, I really didn't notice much. They mostly lost fluff, some head feathers, and tail feathers. One lost all of her long tail feathers, making her look rumpless! The one molting right now has a head covered in pins, and lost half of her tail. It hasn't grown back yet, but she's not losing as many fluff feathers everything she shakes or preens now.

 

[AccentOnHakes]

Well, here we are!

February 2, 2012. According to the calculator I found online, my city, today, got 10 hours and 22 minutes of sunlight.

After I came home from school, I went out to visit my two girls. The first thing I noticed was that both squatted for me, something I had not seen recently. When I went to check their food supply, guess what I found? That's right, an egg!

Unfortunately, she had also picked her old habit of laying on the poop board back up again. I had gone far to solve that problem last year, which took me about 2 weeks. Eggs laid on the wood would be cracked, or even smashed in one case. I guess she forgot all I taught her over winter break, just like most students in school!

Here's a picture of the egg and the beautiful lady that laid it!

 

[krickets]

That's interesting that you hadn't noticed them squatting while they were on their break, and then they squatted for you right before laying again. That answers a question I asked a few days ago that didn't really get a response.
PS, what a pretty bird! I love that lacing. I would really love to add a couple of EEs this year.

 

[AccentOnHakes]

I just realized something...the EE who is laying is, in fact, not yet finished with her molt! While her head is fully covered now, her tail is not grown in yet.

I did get another egg from her today.

 

[AccentOnHakes]

Magical day! Two eggs today!

However, only one was in the nest box. I think that because the nest box they like was taken already, the other hen went back to laying on the poop board. It wasn't cracked, thankfully.

Today, we had 10 hours and 33 minutes of sunlight. Surprising, isn't it? I thought I would have to wait a while more.