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I sell hatching eggs, though the majority of mine right now are mixed (free rangers). I am working on building pens for them but I don't have any austrolorps. The majority of my large fowl birds are either cochin mixes, old english game mixes, or barred rock mixes, but I have some black copper marans and black ameraucanas, if they ever start laying. I have a quad of barred rocks and also some golden lakenvelders but they are currently free ranging with everyone else. Other than those I have several different breeds of bantam, but again most of them are free ranging at this time.
Currently the only ones laying are one or two old english game bantams, a barred rock, and some ducks. If anyone else is laying I can't find their nests. I also have button and coturnix quail; the coturnix are out of season and won't start laying good again until probably February or March, but the buttons are kept inside. I get 3-4 eggs daily from them. Most people around here (KY) that have chickens have both roosters and hens, so if you have anyone local that sells 'eating' eggs, chances are they are fertile and hatchable. If you decide to go that route just make sure that you buy eggs that have not been washed.
I thought cortunix laid all year round. Mine are still going strong. The Bob Whites don't lay in winter. Mine stopped a few months ago. I haven't been hatching any because I have more than I can deal with now. I'm trying to get them all processed before it gets really cold. I'm just not all that crazy about having to have my hands in water when it's cold so I can clean out and refull them. Next year I know we are going to come up with a better way of doing this. I didn't do my bird math before hand.
My EE's have stopped laying already too. I sold off several birds last week so I only get 3 or 4 eggs a day now. The Buff Oprhingtons will be laying soon.
They can if you give them 14-16 hours of light a day, I don't bother with mine. I might, just haven't done it yet. I did have a couple jumbo brown hens that laid all winter last year but the eggs were not fertile.
But normally, no, if you don't give them extra light they shouldn't lay year round.
I sell hatching eggs, though the majority of mine right now are mixed (free rangers). I am working on building pens for them but I don't have any austrolorps. The majority of my large fowl birds are either cochin mixes, old english game mixes, or barred rock mixes, but I have some black copper marans and black ameraucanas, if they ever start laying. I have a quad of barred rocks and also some golden lakenvelders but they are currently free ranging with everyone else. Other than those I have several different breeds of bantam, but again most of them are free ranging at this time.
Currently the only ones laying are one or two old english game bantams, a barred rock, and some ducks. If anyone else is laying I can't find their nests. I also have button and coturnix quail; the coturnix are out of season and won't start laying good again until probably February or March, but the buttons are kept inside. I get 3-4 eggs daily from them. Most people around here (KY) that have chickens have both roosters and hens, so if you have anyone local that sells 'eating' eggs, chances are they are fertile and hatchable. If you decide to go that route just make sure that you buy eggs that have not been washed.
I thought cortunix laid all year round. Mine are still going strong. The Bob Whites don't lay in winter. Mine stopped a few months ago. I haven't been hatching any because I have more than I can deal with now. I'm trying to get them all processed before it gets really cold. I'm just not all that crazy about having to have my hands in water when it's cold so I can clean out and refull them. Next year I know we are going to come up with a better way of doing this. I didn't do my bird math before hand.
My EE's have stopped laying already too. I sold off several birds last week so I only get 3 or 4 eggs a day now. The Buff Oprhingtons will be laying soon.
They can if you give them 14-16 hours of light a day, I don't bother with mine. I might, just haven't done it yet. I did have a couple jumbo brown hens that laid all winter last year but the eggs were not fertile.
But normally, no, if you don't give them extra light they shouldn't lay year round.
