My dad says my 16 week old pullets won't lay til spring..T or F?

[jaimslee4u]

They will lay when they are ready! I had a late batch of pulletts last year that started laying in mid winter and did not slow down all winter long. I do not have any lights or heat in the coop. It could be a possibility that they wait for spring, but there still could be a chance that you could prove your dad wrong, depends on your girls! Might need to do a little egg dance, LOL

 

[jaimslee4u]

Quote:
I don't know about all the others but your barred rocks will lay all through winter!!

Missi

Deff - those Barred Rocks are egg making machines! If you get eggs before spring I think your dad should make you an omlette!

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I'm betting you get eggs all through the winter. They do need some extra warmth though. Try a heat lamp in the coop during the day (timer if you can get one and figure out how to use the darn things.) and off during the night. They need sleep just like us!!!

My Delawares lay all through the winter and it is sometimes so cold that their eggs freeze before I can get out there to gather them!

So, I'm voting False.

Dave

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
I don't have any Cochins (too much mud here to want feather legged breeds) but my RSL's layed like champs all winter, didn't seem to slow them down at all.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
They really shouldn't need any extra heat, draft free and dry are the biggies for keeping chooks in good shape thru the winter. Adding a light will help encourage egg laying during the shorter days though. I think that for optimum laying chickens need something like 14 hours of light a day. It's the lack of daylight (for the most part) that slows egg production during the winter months. I don't add light for mine as I like to let them stay on a more natural cycle, but if I only had 4-6 I might be tempted. As is I have enough for us even in the winter, but not always enough for my customers.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

Quote:
how many hours of light do u have in your coop?

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I read somewhere light all the time in the coop can decrease life span. Seems cruel to me. I just use mine for extra heat. I had a buff orp rooster get his comb frost bitten in a particularly cold winter and have since decided a little help from a heat lamp is fine with me. I can afford to pay the electric bill. On the really, REALLY cold nights, I add another light and I do leave it on. The girls seem not to mind on those nights. BTW, all this talk of winter is building up that all too uncomfortable feeling of dread. It's not as fun to be a chicken farmer in the winter.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

the heat lamp, to extend your daylight hours and warm the coop works for me. theres just too much false info about chickens and their eggs, that none chicken owners don't know is incorrect until they become byc people and learn the truth.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

Quote:
i want winter now it going to 105 today it is 95 now

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Quote:
i want winter now it going to 105 today it is 95 now

On days like this I'm glad I moved from West Tennessee to Yankee weather.