Depending on the breed, it may take them a little while to start laying after the molt. Also because of shorter days they slow way down. A couple things that help are to put a light in the coop thats tied into a timer. I've got mine set to come on at 6 am and go out at about 930 pm. Another thing is to make sure they are getting a good diet, and because they don't have access to all the summertime bugs, up their protein intake a little. Heat also helps if you can get some heat into the coop. Depending on the size of your coop, a brooder lamp will supply the heat and light necessary, white not red light. We use flock raiser here year round for feed. In the winter they get lots of treats to keep them happy. I just finished making them up some suet blocks from venison suet and scratch. They also get leftovers heated up and beefed up for them. We had some leftover lipton rice from dinner a couple nights ago. This got put in a pan over heat with some water, I added into that some oatmeal, a handfull of cornmeal, about a half dozen of the oldest eggs in the fridge and the broken shells. Heat it to about a pudding consistency and let them have at it. Happy girls lay more eggs....
that will NOT happen. but now its winter and cold and the days are short and I am wondering if they're not going to want to lay any at all. would putting in fake eggs help?? is there something else I can do for them to encourage them to lay eggs?
