Eggs in the Winter

[DebbieDee]

I'm still waiting for my barred rock,golden and RIR to lay.They are 23 weeks....

 

[wyododge]

Quote:
What kind of light do you use?? We don't have electricity in our coop so I'm looking for different options.. We'll see what that means.


If my math is correct my girls are at 4.5 months and from what I'm reading 5 months seems to be average.. Though I agree, watching them is like watching a pot of water until it boils..

I just can't help being anxious!

Just make sure to get a video of when you finally see that first egg... Pretty close to the first bike, rifle, doll, ball... you will instantly go back to being 7 for a few moments...

Just one of the many joys of raising animals, and especially chickens!!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
It's not a requirement to add light to get pullets to lay in winter. I do not add any light, as I prefer my chickens to go through the natural changes they are supposed to, which includes a break in winter for a molt. It may take a bit longer for them to start in winter, but I just had 2 pullets start up yesterday at 28 weeks.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Quote:
It's not a requirement to add light to get pullets to lay in winter. I do not add any light, as I prefer my chickens to go through the natural changes they are supposed to, which includes a break in winter for a molt. It may take a bit longer for them to start in winter, but I just had 2 pullets start up yesterday at 28 weeks.

I have used 14 hours of light for 19 years. My hens still molt & have a rest period. Lighting 14 hours DOES NOT keep them from molting.

 

[Felony]

Chickens need 14 hours of light a day to lay. If you want your chickens to lay in the winter be sure to put a light on a timer. I'm in Alaska where it was 10 below with 60 mph winds yesterday. I got 8 eggs off my 15 hens. I get between 8 and 10 eggs a day. So not everybody lays every day but we get plenty of eggs nonetheless. My light comes on at 6AM and goes off at 10AM. It comes on again at 5PM and off at 9PM. When it's really cold it just stays on 24/7 (a 100 watt light bulb is all i use). Today it warmed up a bit - it was 7 degrees the last time I looked and the wind has died down (thanks goodness- three days of wild winds wears on hens and people alike).

I don't know if it's the breed I have (barred plymouth rock and some mutt columbian rock X red ) or their age (6 months old)but I have 5 hens here in quebec canada and now in the middle of january I get 3-4 eggs a day, everyday, with no supplemental light and no supplemental heat... even in very cold weather ( these days reallllly cold in the -20s and below celcius). So I think some chickens will still lay well in winter without supplemental light...

 

[tec27]

Ameraucanas lay excellent in the winter. Actually mine started laying for the first time in winter. They get about 4 hours of sunlight a day. The temp here is around 20 degrees. From 3 ameraucana hens i get about 12 eggs a week.