How do I stop my hens from laying in the winter?

[eoneill2k]

Bit of a weird one here.

I've six hens of various breeds- two rhode island reds, a bluebell, a marbar, a buff-barred-rock and one that is potentially an astrolorp.

They have total free range of our garden year round, about an acre, and are free to forage etc. on top of their daily feed of layers pellets.

They're all relatively healthy birds (had a bit of a scare with bluebell last year but she's fine now) and they all get wormed by hand once a month.

The problem we have is that they lay almost year round, including through the winter. They don't stop until around April, which is when they all gradually stop laying eggs for a couple of weeks or so.

I want to try and fix their annual cycle so that this break is during the winter, so that they have more energy for bad weather and the like as winters here are very unpredictable and there is less insect life to forage for.

Any ideas?

 

[Hjgh91]

I dont have heat or light in my coop, and my hens slow waaaaaay down in winter laying. Maybe 1 or 2 eggs a week each, max (we live in Wisconsin). I am not sure if you can make them stop laying entirely? But they will naturally lay less in winter.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

Many chickens have been bred to lay year-round. How old are they? Have they had a serious molt?

 

[Lizzy733]

Genetics plays a biiig part in whether they'll lay through winter or not.

Most hens won't go through their first big moult until they are 2 years old and will lay straight through their first winter. - especially high-production breeds. This is considered 'cull age' in the egg industry when their production drops off.

As long as you are not providing supplemental lighting, nature is taking its course according to their genetic disposition. (Daylight hours is the trigger for winter slow down - not temp) Take a look into what is considered 'normal' for your breeds and any genetic issues they are predisposed to so you can keep an eye out for early issues and be ready when\if they have trouble.

Australorps and RIR are both high-yield layers (250+ eggs a year), so will likely take less breaks than other breeds and will stop laying earlier in life than the mid to low egg yield breeds.

 

[Chicalina]

I think you've just got to allow their natural biological rhythm. If they are fed well and have good draught proof housing with plenty ventilation, they won't suffer during winter if laying or not.

 

[aart]

Bit of a weird one here.

I've six hens of various breeds- two rhode island reds, a bluebell, a marbar, a buff-barred-rock and one that is potentially an astrolorp.

They have total free range of our garden year round, about an acre, and are free to forage etc. on top of their daily feed of layers pellets.

They're all relatively healthy birds (had a bit of a scare with bluebell last year but she's fine now) and they all get wormed by hand once a month.

The problem we have is that they lay almost year round, including through the winter. They don't stop until around April, which is when they all gradually stop laying eggs for a couple of weeks or so.

I want to try and fix their annual cycle so that this break is during the winter, so that they have more energy for bad weather and the like as winters here are very unpredictable and there is less insect life to forage for.

Any ideas?

How old are these birds, in months?
Most birds stop laying during their second fall/winter.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Mine lay all year round, & it's nice to still getting free eggs during the winter is better then having to buy the flavorless Store Eggs.

I don't think you can change their laying cycle. This depending on the breeds you have.

Some breeds I have that quit laying in winter are: Old English Game Bantams, D'uccles, & Red JungleFowl/American Game crosses.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Great questions about the age of the flock. Pullets tend to lay during their first winter.
I let my girls take winter off from laying, I do this by not using/adding lights to their coop. Chickens need 14ish hours of light to continue laying.
I do however love to still have eggs in the winter, so when summer starts coming to an end and before the flock starts molting, I will start freezing their eggs so that I have enough for the winter months (6 months).

 

[MysteryChicken]

My birds that lay year round are:

3 Buff Orpingtons, & 3 Project Wheaten Crele Orpingtons.

4 Easter Eggers

2 Brahmas

8 Silkies Bantam, & Largefowl

A Black Copper Marans

A Red JungleFowl/hybrid X Silkie mix

A Marans/Gamefowl mix X Orpington cross

An Easter Egger/Brahma cross

A Buff Orpington/Barred Rock X RIR

I might be missing a couple. I woke up around 4:00am.

 

[eoneill2k]

Welcome to BYC.

Many chickens have been bred to lay year-round. How old are they? Have they had a serious molt?

So the reds are about two years old, the austrolorp and bluebell about one and a half, and then the marbar and barred-rock are new, they haven't seen a winter yet. Both the reds and the hen we used to have (killed by a fox during her fourth winter/third year) all laid year-round except for that april/may window where they lull and then stop laying for a couple of weeks.

If there's no way of encouraging a shift here then that's fine, I'm just concerned for them having enough energy in winter rather than bumping up the amount of feed in case it a) attracts vermin or b) puts strain on their systems