my first winter w Chickens ....HELP!!!

[BarredRockGirls]

i have13 - 8 month old BRs. i feed 1 scoop FR and 1 scoop Layena plus oyster shell and all the table scraps they could possibly get or want - they hear the door open they runnnnnn haha . they were laying faithfully everyday . so much so that between them and my 3 ducks i have tons of egg customers ..... my geese havent started laying yet ...

welllll now its very cold - snowed once - they hated it ... we like in NE OHIO one hen has a naked neck? i checked her over and it just looks like spiny new feather comin in ? i get 3 MAYBE 4 eggs a day - today was 3! ugh .... i was not going to put a light in because i didnt want to stress them out - my ducks hate flashlights so i know they would hate it .
but i cant survive on 3 eggs a day!
is there any thing i can do feed wise?

i already ordered more chickens that are winter layers to be delivered soon.

thanks

 

[ocap]

there is a wanted section in the Buy-Sell-Trade area under "forum" then "buy-sell-trade" then "chickens over 8 weeks"

List yourself as wanting "point of lay pullets" and see what happens. I have not used it, I do have seven I don't need but I am too far away.

 

[ocap]

you might also put a light in the coop and have it come on at 5am,,, off after daylight,,, then no extra light in the evenings so they know when to roost.

someone else on another thread said feed corn to get more eggs in the winter

 

[BarredRockGirls]

there is a wanted section in the Buy-Sell-Trade area under "forum" then "buy-sell-trade" then "chickens over 8 weeks"

List yourself as wanting "point of lay pullets" and see what happens. I have not used it, I do have seven I don't need but I am too far away.

thanks but im wanting to encourage my hens to lay ... or find out what molt is and if it always happens ??? ive been googling things but its all confusing

 

[azygous]

At eight months, it's not molt. Your BRs won't molt until next fall. Your girl with the naked neck was probably nibbled on by a mate. That might continue unless you try to find the culprit and isolate her or install pinless peepers on her. Look for two who are always hanging out together. The victim usually lets the perpetrator shave her feathers without much, if any protest.

Your egg problem is a common one, easily solved with a low wattage light set to come on with a timer a couple hours before daylight.