I want eggs before winter!!

[atomic_chicken]

I was wondering what I could do to improve my chances of
getting eggs before the winter sets in. My birds are four months old so maybe
November I could expect some eggs?

I live in southern BC. Our winters are not horrible cold but we can see -30C for short periods.(aka-20F)

If things are just right I guess they could lay right through the winter!?

What should I do?

 

[peepblessed]

Depending on your breed, it will probably be another month or two. You probably have them on laying mash or flock grower with free choice oyster shell. We only get down to about 10 degrees here but our pullets lay all winter. The second year we get almost nothing.

My daughters bantum hens lay all year.

 

[canadianchick]

Hello if you live in the lower mainland like I do its no problem keeping hens laying all winter, With the exception of those few cold days . Just feed them well and give them their extra light . On the coldest days i set up a heat lamp for them but otherwise I dont have to do much and I always get eggs >

 

[atomic_chicken]

Quote:
I live in the interior (Kamloops). I have heard that some chickens will not begin to lay going into winter even if they are 6 months or more?

Was looking for a way to maybe help my chickens get laying before it gets cold and then they might lay through winter.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

 

[LovinChicknFarmn]

We had some last year that didn't lay until late winter/early spring. They were just getting to the right age when winter set in and we had a pretty cold winter (for where we are). So, we had to wait it out. Now we have two new "babies" that we're hoping will start laying before winter again this year! It seems to be our luck that they come to age at this time of year. Hopefully, we can get lucky this time because these babies are bantams and I want to see their cute little miniature eggs! I don't want to wait for another 6 months!! So, what I'm saying is that in my experience it seems to be whatever the girls feel like they want to do. Want to lay during the cold? They will. Want to wait because they can. Then, that's what they'll do! Now, if you;re set up for light in the coop and heaters and all that you can play with the environment and may be able to convince them to lay. A lot of it has to do with the number of hours of light in the day anyway.

Good luck!

 

[gavinandallison]

We got our first chicks July 2010, Barred rocks, and they graced us with our first eggs the last week in December..... Just be patient....