Egg question!

[Jesusfreak101]

This might be stupid but here we go. I keep hearing that chickens dont lay in winter months as they molt and take time off to recover. That if you supplement light during winter months it can make said chickens burn out on laying faster(which i dont want to do) so my question is can you freeze eggs and store them for the winter months?

 

[sunflour]

I guess whether they lay in the winter after a molt depends on your location and your flocks tendencies? I have BR and BO and all laid routinely throughout their first winter and most laid a little less often, but still had eggs all winter long. And most continue to lay eggs even while molting.

IMO you will find different views on supplemental light. But the studies I have found do indicate that doing so will shorten the longevity of laying.

You can freeze eggs and google searches offer how. But here's a thread that gives a link to how : https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1009031/too-many-eggs-freeze-some

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Thank you yeah i didnt know if they would continue laying next winter or not they to young to molt this winter the oldest just started laying a month or so ago so they should keep laying this winter.

 

[sunflour]

Likely they will give you lots of eggs thru the winter. I didn't notice you are from Texas so your winters are mild like ours in Georgia.

They have already gone thru the juvenile molt this year, but next year will molt for real. Ours molt end of summer, expect to see loads of feathers in the coop and run next August - September.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Yeah we in south texas near san antonio we rarely get snow so didnt know if that mattered or not.

 

[sunflour]

Yeah we in south texas near san antonio we rarely get snow so didnt know if that mattered or not.

I don't know either, but so many folks reported poor laying in the winter that I was shocked that it made little difference for my gals. Hope you have the same experience

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I hope so. Lol i like eggs alot so i dont know if i would have enough freezer room.

 

[sunflour]

I have only frozen yolks once, and later thawed, cooked and fed those to my hens

 

[Sunnyacres nest]

you can freeze eggs but the shells will crack so be careful thawing them or freeze them out of shell and use that way.It is said that the shorter days of winter will slow production not so much the cold.It differs from person to person but supplement lighting will help egg production and will not shorten the amount of eggs in their life time,that is predetermined at early age how many eggs they will produce in their life time.the choice is up to the individual if they want to use supplemental lighting to help egg production it will cause no harm to the hens,if their systems need a break they will take a break that is nature.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Sunflour yeah i read that if you dont use salt or sugar the yolks get thick and gel like (shudders) gross. And sunnyacresnest i prefer to let them do what God intended if they atop laying they stop i suppose. But that be next year so we will see what happens. Thanks for the info.