- Nov 12, 2010
- 5
- 0
- 7
We live in SW New Hampshire where the night time temps have been dipping below freezing for about 10 days now. We have 7 pullets - 1 Rhode Island Red, 2 Barred Rock, 2 Buff Orpington, and 2 Araucanas. My Rhode Island Red began laying 1 egg every 1-2 days about 4 weeks ago and one other pullet began laying shortly there after but only 1 egg every 3-4 days. Two weeks ago I installed a heat lamp for them, and added a second this past weekend. However for the past 2 1/2 weeks, we've only gotten 1 egg! Except for one variety (I can't recall now which) whose egg production will drop slightly in the Winter unless she receives artificial heat, they're all hearty varieties that should continue laying in the winter with enough light (and they have that). At least that's what I read........ Were all the books and the breed information I found online wrong?
They eat organic egg layer pellets as their main food and get cracked corn, organic oats, veggie and bread scraps as treats. They always have fresh water & food. The 7 pullets live in a very solid tractor (but I built it too heavy so now it's a coop - it's up on blocks - there's poultry netting stapled to the bottom too, and I stuff fresh straw under so their poop falls out into the straw & they're not walking in it) which is 3.5 ft x 8 ft with a 4ft x 8 ft extension and they have a 12 ft x 4 ft (4 ft tall too) run so they have enough room. The run has straw in it too and I change it once/2-3 weeks. Their run isn't muddy or smelly and full of poop. They appear happy & healthy.
While we LOVE them, we also LOVE their eggs
so any help is MUCH appreciated!!!! 
) THANK YOU!!
They eat organic egg layer pellets as their main food and get cracked corn, organic oats, veggie and bread scraps as treats. They always have fresh water & food. The 7 pullets live in a very solid tractor (but I built it too heavy so now it's a coop - it's up on blocks - there's poultry netting stapled to the bottom too, and I stuff fresh straw under so their poop falls out into the straw & they're not walking in it) which is 3.5 ft x 8 ft with a 4ft x 8 ft extension and they have a 12 ft x 4 ft (4 ft tall too) run so they have enough room. The run has straw in it too and I change it once/2-3 weeks. Their run isn't muddy or smelly and full of poop. They appear happy & healthy.
While we LOVE them, we also LOVE their eggs
) THANK YOU!! 
