Please help a newbie

[chick-e-pie]

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum. I have 9 hens (2 Rhode Islands, 2 Dominiques, 2 Leghorns, 2 Americaunas, and a Cochin). I just got my first egg on Monday

and another one today -both brown. I don't know if the shortening days is going to be a problem in getting them all to lay before winter sets in. If I decide to put some light in my coop how much light do they need? I think one of the Americaunas might be starting to molt. Does that mean no eggs until spring?
Arrrrrgh I have so many questions........but I love my hens
;-)

 

[JenniferJoIN]

My chicks are only a month old, so I can't be any help, but welcome to the Forum!!!

Where are you from?

 

[chick-e-pie]

Hi,

I'm from western Washington State. I'm originally from the Chicago area.

 

[Windy Ridge]

I wish I could remember where I saw the study, but actually they need very little light to continue producing. They need about 15 hours of light, but as far as the wattage goes, as much light as a single candle produces was enough to stimulate production in the study I saw. I can't remember if that was in one of my books or on the Internet somewhere.

(Of course, I suggest you go with a bulb, rather than an open flame.)

I've heard it's a good idea to locate the light source near the food and water.

 

[Windy Ridge]

BTW, some breeds will continue producing through the winter (sometimes at a reduced rate) even without supplemental light.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Pullets, girl birds under a year old, are more likely to lay through their first winter.
Older birds, hens, will taper off.
My old hen, Obelisk who's 4 started laying again in March. She started moulting in the last week of July/first week of August, and hasn't laid since. But that's normal for her.
I've never used supplemental light for her, Slifer or Penny.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

Congrats on your Hens

How old are they? I don't think they molt till after a year! (I could be wrong)

all the breeds you have will lay through the winter as long as they have light!

Yes as Windy Ridge said it can be low watts just need 14 hours

 

[chick-e-pie]

I got my chicks for mother's day so I'm guessing they are about 22 weeks old right now but I could be off by a week or so.

I did find out that it is one of my Dominiques who is laying because I caught her in the nesting box with an egg under her butt. There is another hen laying because there was a very flimsy egg on the floor of the coop. I'm not sure which hen that one is yet........but I'll be watching.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Chickens moult 3 times in their first year and then once a year after that.