How to stop my hens from laying

[choopes]

I raised a new crop of birds last year. They got into adulthood as the season was ending with only a few weeks of egg producing. I thought I would extend this with artificial light, getting them up at 4am. This worked beautifully. 7-8 eggs a day from my 11 hens. My goal was to stock pile 12 dozen eggs in the fridge to get me through till next spring. I turned the light off about 3 weeks ago, but they are still laying. I want them to take a rest during the winter. Roos have balded several hens by over breeding. I separated them. I have reduced feed. Mostly all corn now, only a little laying mash for the vitamins. How can I get them to stop until next spring? This last cold snap seemed to help some, but some are still laying.
I have pretty much filled the spare fridge, and have pickled several jars. I am experimenting with "the English way" storing unwashed eggs at room temperature to see how long they last. Ask me in a few months. Freezing doesn't work for me. It doesn't taste right.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

I raised a new crop of birds last year. They got into adulthood as the season was ending with only a few weeks of egg producing. I thought I would extend this with artificial light, getting them up at 4am. This worked beautifully. 7-8 eggs a day from my 11 hens. My goal was to stock pile 12 dozen eggs in the fridge to get me through till next spring. I turned the light off about 3 weeks ago, but they are still laying. I want them to take a rest during the winter. Roos have balded several hens by over breeding. I separated them. I have reduced feed. Mostly all corn now, only a little laying mash for the vitamins. How can I get them to stop until next spring? This last cold snap seemed to help some, but some are still laying.
I have pretty much filled the spare fridge, and have pickled several jars. I am experimenting with "the English way" storing unwashed eggs at room temperature to see how long they last. Ask me in a few months. Freezing doesn't work for me. It doesn't taste right.

I don’t think you can actually stop them. They’ll just lay whenever they need to.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I don't use lights/artificial lighting. I have windows for natural lighting only allowing their natural laying cycles to continue. Who ever isn't laying is fine, I want them to take breaks. Those who continue to lay supplies us with enough eggs during winter into spring.


It'll take them time to readjust to the change.

Corn will just make your birds fat, just a heads up, & Layer feed isn't good for Rooster's kidneys.

For the damage caused by the roosters, hen saddles will help with that.

 

[nuthatched]

Sell the extra eggs or give them away.
Give your chickens all flock or flock raiser. don't give them corn as their main food, it's horribly unhealthy. Some of your roos need to go unless where they are separated to is permant. 8+ hens per roo is the standard. Most hens lay through their first winter so you really can't get them to stop.

 

[neo71665]

Chickens lay it's not a process you stop. Corn is like candy and feeding just it isn't good for them. Layer feed isn't good for the rooster, can cause kidney damage long term.

Honestly sounds like you need to research owning chickens some more. Doesn't sound like you have a good concept of it.

 

[choopes]

I've been at this for about 12 years now. Usually the problem is not enough eggs. I have used artificial light before, but when I turned it off, the laying stopped. What's different this time is that these are young, first season hens, all but one.
Thanks for the suggestion on feed change. I have 2 roos. An old one, and a young one. They are well separated from the hens by a solid fence. At least for now.

 

[Mrs. K]

I think that is the problem, they probably would have laid without the light, and next year they will molt and take it off. Don't worry about them they will be fine.