Fall/Winter Egg Layers

[GigitheBackyardHerbilist]

I had Rhode Island Red chickens in Texas for 10 and never noticed any variation in egg production. Now I live in north Florida and have Wyandotts, Brahmas, Plymouth Barred Rock and muttens (what I call chickens of either mixed or unknown breed). All my chickens are free range over 20 acres. In October we started seeing a dramatic decline in egg production and also occasional "jelly eggs". Just an FYI if you experience this (cause I freaked!) some breeds slow or discontinue egg production when the daylight shortens. This egg 'slowdown' over the winter months gives your hens time to replenish their bodies of vital nutrients.

Anyway, my question is ... What has everyone experienced? What breeds seem to exhibit this behavior of slowing or stopping egg production in fall and winter? And in what regions (north or south)? Would love to hear particulars of members' locations, breeds and experiences of this occurrence.

My Easter eggers were last to lay and first to stop. My sapphire gems were first to lay and still are laying. My black Australorps and lavender Orpingtons are still laying as well.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

My 3-yo EEs and 2-yo BAs stopped laying about a month ago to go into a pretty hard molt and haven't started up again yet, and if last year is any indication, probably won't until March. Sunrise here is about 6:45 am and it's dark about 5 pm. I have 4-month old pullets, EE and Dominiques, and I'm hoping they start laying in mid-January or February. So to answer your question, yes, I think it's quite common in mid-America (Missouri here) for the shortened daylight hours to give the hens a respite from their duties. (I am only keeping the older girls through the winter to keep each other warm.)

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is there some reason that they just started laying again?

They didn't read the chicken manual on how to chicken. I got one like that this year... she molted and stopped laying, then started up again this month.

 

[Stephoney]

They didn't read the chicken manual on how to chicken. I got one like that this year... she molted and stopped laying, then started up again this month.

I’ll be sure to put a copy of the manual in their coops today so they can read up on the appropriate fall/winter etiquette
I thought it was really weird that my EE, Greta, started up again. I’ve read that the first year of laying may extend through winter. This was Buttercups, my Buff Orpington, first year so maybe that’s what’s going on with her. She went through a molt like the rest, but it was fairly light. Greta, on the other hand, went through a semi-hard molt and this is her second year laying. She didn’t lay through winter last year. My husband jokes that she must not like being upstaged by a younger hen. I don’t mind having fresh eggs, but I also like that they take the fall/winter off to recuperate and rest their bodies. Maybe Buttercup laying eggs made Greta kick into egg laying, too?