no eggs in 45 days

[granmahen]

Can't believe it. Not a single egg. My hens are only going on two years old. At least they're earning their keep with their composting skills and their delightful personalities. If things keep going the way they are, we'll cancel cable and just watch the girls for entertainment.

 

[canada-goose]

You think you're egg deprived? My birds haven't layed in 90 days... at least!

Good thing we love chickens for who they are, I guess!

 

[littlelemon]

It's just their winter rest, don't worry- you will get an egg every day come spring!!! Actually it is usually around the end of February here.

 

[briteday]

I have 5 RIR and 2 BR hens that will all be 2 in March. I'm lucky if I get 3 eggs per day from 7 hens.

 

[saladin]

If you desire eggs all year (excepting the moult) then I would suggest you obtain heritage breeds which lay at different times of the year. For example, Orientals are primarily winter layers: though some of the Continental breeds lay fairly well in the winter too.

Actually, the time of the year that is usually the most difficult to obtain eggs with heritage breeds is the heat of summer (at least in the South), but Leghorns will usually lay during that time. saladin

 

[littlelemon]

Quote:
That is so interesting! I did not know that certain breeds would actually lay during the winter! I thought all breeds took a rest in the winter after their molt and it had to do with the lessening daylight hours. Mine have always done that, but I have only had common heritage breeds. Specifically, what kind of breeds would lay in the winter-and would they do well in cold Ohio winters?

 

[suebee]

Do your chickens free range? After several weeks of seeing eggless nest boxes, I found the mother load....a huge pile of eggs under my front porch!

 

[saladin]

The amount of day-light affecting lay is a generalization. Through the years, people selected birds for various traits (gameness, eggs, meat, dual-purpose). They also made selections based on the time of year laying occurred. For example, Cubalayas are excellent winter layers, but nothernern breeders do not care for this trait because of frozen hatching eggs; thus, they began to select hens that laid later each year until it is now possible to obtain Cubalaya strains that seldom lay in the winter.

Back to winter layers. I am most familiar with Orientals. The best winter layers I have raised are Asil; followed by Cubalayas and Shamos. The worse layers I know of in the Oriental class are the Malgache which only lay around 40 eggs per annum.

Most winter layers will take a break 2 weeks before Winter Solstice until 2 weeks after the Solstice then begin again. Also, understand that there are variations among strains of each breed.

By utilizing the wisdom of the past there is NO REASON FOR LIGHTS! saladin

 

[charlielynnsingletary]

i have not got any either. i'm so sad.

 

[CTChickenMom]

I will be ordering Delawares and Chantecler shortly. They are good winter layers.

From feathersite.com regarding the Chantecler
This is the first breed developed in Canada. Its developers wanted a strong, calm fowl that could withstand the Canadian climate. They produced a dual purpose bird which was a good winter layer. The comb and wattles were reduced to a minimum to defend against frostbite. The breed was made public in 1918.

White Chanteclers have Dark Cornish, White Leghorns, White Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds and White Plymouth Rocks in their heritage. A Partridge variety also exists. Cocks weigh about 8 1/2 pounds and hens 6 1/2.

From mypetchicken.com regarding Delawares
The Delaware is a relatively new breed of chicken, having only been developed in 1940. They're a cross between New Hampshire Reds and Barred Plymouth Rocks with the goal of maintaing the prolific egg production of these two breeds but increased meat value. They're a lovely, calm white breed with black feathers around the neck and the tip of the tail, and with some black striations also working their way into the back. They perform well in the cold and will fare even better if their combs are protected from frostbite with the help of some petroleum jelly.

The following breeds from Henderson's chicken chart are listed as reliable winter layers:
New Hampshires
Orpingtons
Dominiques
Faverolles
Jersey Giants
Plymouth Rocks
Rhode Islands
Sussex
and Wyandottes