Fall-winter, molting and egg laying

[andreanar]

My layers are molting now, getting an egg or 2 a week. Ugh. I don't use any unnatural lighting, just let them do their thing. I do give them a higher protein feed during molt and protein treats.
This time of year, I worm them and de-bug them also. I use deep litter that I clean out in the spring.

 

[RodNTN]

I have hens of various ages, my oldest is 11 years and my youngest pullets are 5 months. So I may get eggs this winter or I may not

To tell you the truth I don't really do anything to ensure egg laying doesn't stop, I just let them alone. They have laid for months on end; so in my opinion they deserve a break

Surprisingly, I don't have one chicken molting yet, so I'm still getting a dozen eggs or more a day. But when they all begin molting I'll probably be lucky if I find one egg in the nests...

 

[andreanar]

I have hens of various ages, my oldest is 11 years

11 yrs!! Wow. I didn't think they could even live that long!

 

[tripletfeb]

This is my first year with chickens, out of five pullets, only one is laying so far. They hatched late April. I will supplement with light in their coop, have already put it in actually. I don't want to get them to start laying then stop because of not enough light. I figure they don't need a break yet, most haven't started! And I'm enjoying the few eggs I get!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I usually get a few young ones each May. Mine start laying in November and December when most of the older hens are on break, so they fill the gap.

I also feed my older hens a higher protein ration so many will molt quickly and come back into lay in December and January.

 

[Trish1974]

This is my first year with chickens, out of five pullets, only one is laying so far. They hatched late April. I will supplement with light in their coop, have already put it in actually. I don't want to get them to start laying then stop because of not enough light. I figure they don't need a break yet, most haven't started! And I'm enjoying the few eggs I get!

Since your pullets are just coming into lay, you won't need to supplement light THIS winter, but next winter you will need to.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

3 of our 1 year old hens are molting and have already stopped laying. We still get 5-6 eggs a day(2 from our 6 month old pullets). One of our two 5 month old pullets has begun laying. Our two 1 yr old black sex links seem to be able to continue laying thru the winter, mostly. We got a couple eggs from them last winter.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

My current hens are a little over two years old and all have started their molt. Some are still laying but if they don't continue to lay I will not be adding a fake light. I don't mind them taking a break. I can buy store bought eggs if I need to.

LOL. A bit of a side track here, and would make for its own funny topic thread.....

But I hear you @KikisGirls For the few times I've had to go to the store to buy eggs in deep winter (that holiday baking), does anyone else feel guilty? Like somehow you are cheating?

I'm almost ashamed to pick the carton up and tempted to look around to make sure that no one who knows me sees me buying contraband eggs. (uhem, those who are probably tired of hearing me brag about how much finer my home grown eggs are than these sad store bought ones.)

My technique is a quick look around to make sure none of my friends are about (and yes, I bump into a lot of friends at this store). Quickly bury the egg carton under other things in my cart. At check out I help bag this cart, quickly putting eggs in a paper bag.
If caught by a friend, I could always say "I was desperate for cartons."

The other option, to encourage our molt lingering, lazier gals to get eggs faster in winter:

 

[Perris]

I have hens of various ages, my oldest is 11 years

Whatever you're doing @RodNTN you're doing it right! I didn't know chickens could live that long

 

[RodNTN]

11 yrs!! Wow. I didn't think they could even live that long!

Whatever you're doing @RodNTN you're doing it right! I didn't know chickens could live that long

Haha, neither did I! She hasn't laid an egg in years but she still gets around pretty good She's a Black Sex Link, so out of all the girls I have I didn't expect a high production breed to out live everyone!

"Jewel" my ancient hen is the one on the right.