Sort of off topic but it's come up so though that I'd mention that I personally don't mess with the light or do anything else that forces laying since in the end you will get the same number of eggs over a longer period with a natural light cycle.
I asked here on BYC about the effect of supplemental winter light on egg laying before our chicks arrived. Specifically:
- Did is stress the birds to lay all year? Want eggs, don't want stressed chickens!
- Whether it stressed them or not, does it mean they will lay eggs for a fewer number of years?
The answers I got were:
- No
- They, like humans, have as many eggs (more than they will ever lay) from the get go. They will slow down and stop laying based on age, not the number of eggs laid.
Another thing I read (not BYC I don't think) talked about laying less in winter and egg storage. It made sense to me:
- They naturally cut back in the winter because if they were laying eggs to hatch chicks rather than for predators like us to steal, they wouldn't want to be hatching them in the dead cold of winter when there is little food.
- Eggs stay 'good' (in limbo as it were) for MANY days before the hen sits on them since she can only lay one a day and isn't going to hatch them one at a time. Thus it is not necessary to thoroughly clean and refrigerate them (except by the US gov if you are selling them). In fact, thorough cleaning removes the natural protection that allows them to stay 'good' so you then HAVE to refrigerate them since they are now vulnerable to bacteria and whatever else can get in.
So it would seem that if they lay more through the winter with longer 'daylight' hours, one would not be paying for feed but no production with no adverse affect on the chicken nor how long they will lay.
BUT, I'm a noob. Won't even have eggs for a couple more months so I'm all eyes to everyone's knowledge.
