getting eggs in the winter

[TonyZ]

how do you keep steady egg laying through the short days of winter? or should i give my girls a break?

 

[paulpig]

Give your girls a break???? ROFLMAO

 

[CMV]

It's a matter of personal choice. To increase production during the winter some people opt to add supplemental lighting to increase the amount of light to 14 hours a day. Other folks just let their chickens stay in sync with the seasons and have a decrease in production during the short days of winter. Whichever works for you is good. There have been no definitive studies saying that either is better or worse for the chickens in a long run. Good luck.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

One way to do it and keep it "natural" is to hatch in the late spring so they start laying in Oct, Nov. The younger layers aren't bothered by the shorter days and will lay thru the winter.

Steve in NC

 

[Mrs. K]

That explains why I have laying machines, mine were hatched at the end of May, have been laying steady for a month, and getting more productive as time goes on and as the days are getting shorter.

I have been thinking, (I think the beginning of the addiction might be forming) if you had two flocks, a early spring hatch, and a late spring hatch or maybe even a fall hatch, then when one group would be in molt, the others would be laying?

 

[trilyn]

Mrs. K :

That explains why I have laying machines, mine were hatched at the end of May, have been laying steady for a month, and getting more productive as time goes on and as the days are getting shorter.

I have been thinking, (I think the beginning of the addiction might be forming) if you had two flocks, a early spring hatch, and a late spring hatch or maybe even a fall hatch, then when one group would be in molt, the others would be laying?

Definitely signs of an addiction!! lol I'd love to know the answer to this myself-it makes sense to me though.

 

[kipper]

I'd heard the same about late spring pullets, and so far it's true. Our 15 were hatched 6/8/09, just started laying a couple of weeks ago, and now lay 8 eggs a day. Not too shabby for new layers! There is maybe 9 hours of daylight here, and it is usually very cloudy and gloomy when it is daytime. They don't seem to give a rip!

I am not that clever; I didn't plan on such late pullets, I had to order late to get the selection I wanted! I will do it again due to the results, though!