marked wintertime drop-off in EE egg production

[gadus]

For the last month, my six EEs have laid exactly zero eggs. It has been super cold (read single digits) here in Maine until two weeks ago but it has moderated more recently. Some of them are going through a molt but not all. Previously they have been steady 3-4 eggs/week layers and certainly last year this time-when they were just 3 months into their egg-laying careers-there was no drop-off through the winter.

I feed the flock game bird feed and keep the lights on for 14 hrs/day. They are also given kitchen scraps every third or fourth day.

Anyone had similar experience with EE production?

 

[sourland]

Not at all unusual for them to take a break during their second winter. They will resume laying at a rate somewhat less than last year.

 

[Blooie]

Yep! Just living takes a lot out of their little bodies - add steady egg production to the factors depleting their systems and it's easy to see why they need a break. The logical time for them to do that is during the winter months when most hens aren't raising families anyway. A lot of their energy is going into survival during the cold snap - keeping warm, etc, and egg production is way low on their "to do" list.

Sometimes during the rest of the year when they are producing eggs so well it's hard for us to remember that they are living breathing creatures, not egg Pez dispensers, and they need a break. HINT - when they aren't producing eggs anyway is a good time for a little maintenance. You don't need to worry so much about tossing eggs during internal and external parasite treatment because of the dreaded "egg withdrawal" time.

 

[Folly's place]

Mine too; zero green or dark brown Marans eggs for over a month. Two months for the EEs! That's one of the many reasons that a flock of different breeds is so nice. I'm still getting tan eggs from the Chanteclers, the Wyandotte pullets, and the EE bantams are producing their cute aqua eggs. That's also with lights on 4am to 8am every day.
Winter can be over any time...
Mary