Okay...answer this ? for me please...

[HennysMom]

So - DD comes home from school yesterday and asks me this question:

DD: "Mom - is it true that chickens will stop laying eggs because they have cold feet?"

Me: "Who told you that?"

DD: "Uhmmmm...a friend of mine said her grandfathers chickens stopped laying and its because their feet got cold."

Me: "

Uh - nooooooo I dont believe thats the case - I think they only stop laying 1. when they get too old, 2. when they molt, 3. if they have an issue with protein/lack of certain needs being met, 4. if not enough daylight in the winter it can slack off - however I've never heard freezing feet causing eggs to stop."

DD: "Are you SURE? *and now she's giving me the once over*"

Me: "Well I'm fairly sure... are YOU sure its a friend and not YOU?" LOL

DD: "Well.....actually its my teacher..."

Me: *chokes on water* "your teacher? Which one would this be?"

DD: *grinning ear to ear now and turning all shades of red* "Uhmmmm... my Ag teacher"

Me: "

" YOUR WHAT?!!!

"Honey I dont think he's correct, but I'll ask...."


So... now I"m wondering... if her Ag teacher is telling her this... uh.....

tell me I'm right and the teacher is 100% wrong on this one!

LOL!

 

[thechickenchick]

Oh my!!

I would have to say that Ag teacher might be full of chicken poo! Too funny!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Mine are still laying and we've most definately had cold enough weather that if they standup they would have cold feet!

 

[Teach97]

not really...cold feet equals stress...stress is not laying...how many times has it been said on here that it is more important to have a draft free coop than a warm coop...not sure about ya'll ut drafts are cold feet to me...lots of times old wives tales and farmers thoughts though not technically correct are based on fact...much like the great corn debates...corn makes them hot so don't feed it in the summer...not technically true but pound for pound corn gives more energy then other grains...energy is heat...plus in the summer chickens should be able to range enough on the typical farm to meet energy needs...

 

[AllChookUp]

HM - I know extreme cold can slow egg production, but I think you're closer with your answers.

I've had a couple of mine lay eggs that freeze almost instantly if I don't collect them fast enough. THAT'S some cold weather! And they still lay...

They keep going, and going, and going...

 

[HennysMom]

Oh thank goodness! *whew*

I was starting to second guess myself and all you wonderful more knowledgeable Chicken People out here

AllChook - where have you and Buff's been hiding out at Sir? (pulls up a chair and pours you a cuppa) I miss ya both

Ya'll look beyooootiful enough - get outta the gym and eat a freaking Lindt Truffle for crying out loud!

 

[PortageGirl]

ROFL

Wellllllll....

Winter = lower light levels + cold weather

Lower light levels = fewer eggs

Cold weather = cold feet
So… do cold feet = less eggs? Errrrr… mayyyyybeeee.... but really only in a very circular sort of way.

A teaching certificate does not equal perfect knowledge. I learned in grade school, (CATHOLIC grade school mind you!!!), that teachers are not always perfect, but that there is a time and a place for challenging a teacher’s statements, as well as a technique for doing so successfully. A kid piping in front of the whole class saying “Nuh Huh!! My mom says that’s not true!” might ‘ruffle the teacher’s feathers’. It’s actually a good lesson as long as kids realize that their grades might suffer if only indirectly, and proving themselves “Right” can be costly if a little diplomacy isn’t used.

I was told to ask my teacher for “a list of reference material” for the topic in question, and to say that “My mom is interested in the topic and wants to learn more about it.” Which was true and it’s hard for a teacher to argue when someone wants to learn.

This forced her to look up more about it to check her facts, and then she was able gracefully change her story a bit, but my mother WOULD have challenged her facts if she needed to.

I learned to think for myself in large part because of that one early experience, and if not exactly to 'question authority' at least to use my own thinking, and not to accept everything told me completely by anyone! Keep a good balance!

 

[pbjmaker]

A good teacher is willing to say - I'm not sure about that - I'll show you how to find the information.

Children learn soooo much more when you guide them to find the answers themselves then just telling them *stuff*

I wonder what brought the whole conversation up in the first place?

 

[patandchickens]

If by cold feet he meant frostbitten toes, that would mess up laying.

Pat

 

[HennysMom]

Oh I love and adore her teacher - 100% - I just texted her and asked her how it got started and she said it was brought on by the dozen eggs I gave her to bring in for him

He mentioned his fathers chickens had stopped laying and his dad said it was due to their feet getting cold...

I dunno.... LOL I mean, I can see, like patandchickens is saying, how cold feet could make it uncomfortable to lay..but... today is the first real day its been terribly cold here....in VA.