First year chickens and egg production taper...

[Panhandler80]

So my chickens all hatched at the very end of March, which puts them at about 9 months old. I have 21 total, and the most eggs I've seen in a day has been 19 and they were probably averaging 16 or 17. I'm in NW Florida, and was wondering when I should expect to see them taper production a little bit as a result of shortening days.

Anybody in a similar climate care to share their experience?

I ask because the past week or so I've been seeing between 13 and 14. Think it's the slightly shorter days? It's still plenty warm, and it's not like we're seeing a whole lot less sunshine here yet.

 

[sourland]

Some pullets lay through their first winter and some do not. Shortening day light period is the environmental factor that impacts them not temperature.

 

[Panhandler80]

Some pullets lay through their first winter and some do not. Shortening day light period is the environmental factor that impacts them not temperature.

Is it breed specific?

Should this time of year be when a “winter” taper begins to happen?

I guess if 2/3 of them lay through the "winter" that's not bad, huh?

So next year I should expect even fewer eggs beginning about now? As mentioned, this will be their first winter.

I know you can add artificial light, but I think I'd rather have them taper a little bit during the winter and then lay longer in life than crank them out nonstop for a shorter period of time.

 

[aart]

Nothing is specific...each bird is an individual and responds to the environment differently.
I've had some birds start to molt, and stop laying, in mid to late August, some wait until December.