Just need to vent

[TwyliteFlyer]

This is our first foray into chickens, but I'm a bit of an information junkie, so I've read everything I can get my hands on.

We have 11 Buff Orp hens of a range of ages; 4 are a year and a half, 1 is about 20 weeks, the rest are almost 30 & 32 weeks. The older ones are the mothers of everyone else. They weren't our breed of choice, but we couldn't start any earlier, and by the time we were ready, there were no Chantecler's available.

We got them around the beginning of September, and the older hens were in mid-molt. One of them had a soft molt, and did continue laying right from when we got her, (tho she has been rather sporadic lately, nothing in probably a couple weeks now) but we haven't seen anything from *any* of the rest.

Before we got snow, they were outside in a *large* run during the day, but since we got snow they've refused to step outside. The barn they are in has no power, so heat and added light are not options. Add to that, the -20°C (and lower) temps we've had for most of the last month, and the current 7 hour days thanks to our northern position, and I suspect we're SOL til spring. So much for getting a Winter Hardy/Layer breed.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Your younger ones may yet lay, even in the winter. Pullets don't usually need the same amount of light that they hens do and often lay right through the winter. Your assessment of the chances of getting eggs before spring from the older girls is probably right on

Oh, and

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. 7 hours of daylight is about half of what is needed for maximum egg production. Day length is now increasing so hopefully you will start getting eggs in a bit.