Egg production during winter months?

[Toothpick]

Hello Everyone,

My egg production as almost stopped. 1-3 per day from 15 hens. All through the summer I would get 11-14 per day. Once it started getting colder I saw numbers slowly drop off. I would get 6-10. Now I'm getting 1-3 only.

Would the cold weather have anything to do with this? Or shorter days? Sunrise is around 6:30am, sunset is around 4:30pm. Temps during the day range from 40-55 degrees F. And at night 20-35F.

There is ample room to lay as well. I have 6 nest boxes and they only use 2 boxes anyway. I have not noticed any sign of broken eggs, or eating eggs. Nor any eggs laying in the run.

I don't remember production slowing down this much last winter.

I should also note that my chickens are young still. All but 3 are less than 2 years old. And the other 3 are almost a year.

So what y'all think is the problem? Thanks!

 

[Shadowfire]

Most hens stop laying in the winter. Nothing to worry about, usually. What breeds do you have?

 

[Ridgerunner]

A lot of pullets will lay straight through their first fall/winter without molting. Not all do but a lot will continue laying, especially the production breeds. But their second fall/winter they molt and stop laying. They use the nutrients they were using for eggs to grow new feathers instead. What you describe sounds perfectly normal and is to be expected.

 

[Toothpick]

Oh good. Thanks! I have Barred Rock, RIR, and Leghorn(?), and Austrolorpe

 

[RWise]

High protein feed is good while they molt to help them grow those feathers back. First hard molt happens at 18-22 months old. I also run lights in the winter to maintain 13.5 hours of light ( some do 14-15) which helps keeps them laying (@ 13.5 hours not all will lay) Good luck!

 

[Simpleman1]

Hello Everyone,

My egg production as almost stopped. 1-3 per day from 15 hens. All through the summer I would get 11-14 per day. Once it started getting colder I saw numbers slowly drop off. I would get 6-10. Now I'm getting 1-3 only.

Would the cold weather have anything to do with this? Or shorter days? Sunrise is around 6:30am, sunset is around 4:30pm. Temps during the day range from 40-55 degrees F. And at night 20-35F.

There is ample room to lay as well. I have 6 nest boxes and they only use 2 boxes anyway. I have not noticed any sign of broken eggs, or eating eggs. Nor any eggs laying in the run.

I don't remember production slowing down this much last winter.

I should also note that my chickens are young still. All but 3 are less than 2 years old. And the other 3 are almost a year.

So what y'all think is the problem? Thanks!

My egg production too has almost stopped. Have you checked the width of their pelvic bones.?Have they shrinked less than two finger width? Mine have shrinked..

 

[Toothpick]

How long does molt last? Still only 1 egg a day. Do they do this yearly?

 

[GC-Raptor]

How long does molt last? Still only 1 egg a day. Do they do this yearly?

Molt lasts one to three months. My Golden Comets are done in a month. I feed a 18 to 20% Protein feed year round. A higher Protein helps feathers to grow back quicker.
Yes they molt yearly after 18 months on average.
Adding light can keep up production from hens not in molt. 14 to 15 hours of natural and artificial light. Bright enough to read a newspaper farthest from the light. . I use a 25 watt equivalent LED bulb in my 3.75 x 6 foot coop. A larger coop would need a 40 watt equivalent LED up to a 10 x 10 foot coop with bulb in the center. Larger than that will need two or more evenly spaced. GC

 

[Seaecho]

My Serama rarely misses a day of egg laying,even now, but my other egg-laying age pullet stopped as soon as it got cold. My two 7 month old pullets haven't started laying yet.

 

[Toothpick]

I guess it’s time to put a light in the coop. It’s been at least 2 months and I’m only now getting 2 eggs a day. So should be wrapping up or done with molting by now.