Getting darker sooner equals less eggs??

[csaylorchickens]

I have noticed that it is getting darker sooner and the girls are going up into the coop sooner at night. I only ha one egg today and I hve been gettin three eggs a day. I don't want to artificially light the coop what a pain! But the egg production just slows down right, not stops all together?

 

[junebuggena]

Pullets will generally lay through their first fall/winter. Pullets that were hatched early in the year might slow down a bit though. Some breeds just aren't fantastic layers. My girls were hatched in mid-January/early February. One is now broody, and the rest have slowed down quite a bit. I'm averaging about 5 to 7 eggs a day instead of the 10 is was getting last month.

 

[csaylorchickens]

I think par of te problem is the coop is way to small. It's a prefab coop ment for 4 bantams or 2 hens medium sized. I noticed now one is sleeping in the nesting no due to lack of room at night. I dont want to build a new coop! So I found cconly.com and bought a large coop that can hold 8 hens that are large. I eat he a video on how to put it together and it's large! So I hope this is the last time I have to purchase a coop for a very long time

 

[junebuggena]

Yep, a too small coop can stress them to the point that they stop laying.

 

[csaylorchickens]

Yea I think that's what is going on this coop is $600 but it's hecka nice and it's 6ft by 5ft! Four roosting polls four nesting boxes pull out poop trays has wheels to move around the yard good roof and ventilation
I am tight on cash out it on CC hope it's worth it

 

[csaylorchickens]

And I can get probably 3 more chickens this next spring!