Is it normal?

[dldavis34]

I live in Western Colorado and we just had a snow storm move in last week. The hens have not laid a single egg for a week now! They are all white rock hens. Is it normal for them to stop laying during the winter?

 

[coloradochick]

!!! Yes it's very normal.

 

[dldavis34]

So they won't lay at all during the winter?

 

[waterpossum]

depends on how much protein and light and the weather. it takes a lot of energy to keep alive at the temps that have already been this winter which it isn/t winter yet technically. you will probably get a few here and there but they will def not start laying good til late winter early spring when the days get longer and milder

 

[loralei]

I'm mixxing Calf Manna in with the chicken's regular feed. I read that it helps chickens start laying and I'm delighted with the results. Since I started 3 weeks ago I've gone from 2 eggs a day (with 16 hens!) to 8 or 9 per day! You can also add an artificial light source on a timer inside their coop to extend the "daylight" hours.

Laura

 

[crumpet]

Sometimes, even with extra light, production will temporarily stop with a sudden weather change. If you have the 14 hours of light in the coop, they'll start up again soon.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

http://www.mannapro.com/edu_lighting.html