Point of lay pullets not laying in winter, any suggestions? 🙏🏼😊

[hannahsocal]

Hello! I have a few 23 week old (almost 24 week old) blue andalusian pullets that were “supposed” to start laying last week or the week before. I’ve been feeding them later pellets and scratch as well as the occasional kitchen scraps (all good for chickens ofc), adding supplemental lighting to the run, and adding a heat lamp to the run also. But they’re still not laying yet! I measured their pelvic bones and they are the right size apart to be laying, but I’m not seeing any eggs yet. I’m in SoCal so the weather is 50s-80s recently, no extreme winter weather. Any reasons why they might not be laying yet and any ideas on how to get them to start laying? Thanks!!

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Hello! I have a few 23 week old blue andalusian pullets that were “supposed” to start laying last week or the week before. I’ve been feeding them later pellets and scratch as well as the occasional kitchen scraps (all good for chickens ofc), adding supplemental lighting to the run, and adding a heat lamp to the run also. But they’re still not laying yet! I measured their pelvic bones and they are the right size apart to be laying, but I’m not seeing any eggs yet. I’m in SoCal so the weather is 50s-80s recently, no extreme winter weather. Any reasons why they might not be laying yet and any ideas on how to get them to start laying? Thanks!!

Give them a few more weeks. Im not sure about the breed, but mine all start laying a few weeks after and only show signs 2 weeks before laying.

 

[Reave]

A lot of what causes chickens to stop laying in the winter is changes in the hours of light they get, rather than what the weather is specifically doing, though that of course can also have influence on 'em.

 

[TooCheep]

Light extension and semi-warmth were my two main thoughts. Not much else you can do. The best thing you can do is relax and they'll lay when they are ready.

I would not give them layer feed until they are actually laying. You are giving them too much calcium and if they decide to wait until spring, it may cause health problems.

PS- It is helpful to put your approximate location in your profile. It will automatically display with your posts.

 

[sniper338]

Let em be as hard as that is...

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Another thing is if its 50 to 80 degrees do not have a heat lamp on or any supplemental heat. They are proabably way to hot and are going to get stressed.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have a few 23 week old blue andalusian pullets that were “supposed” to start laying last week or the week before.

Teach them to read so they know what our books say they should do!

Practice patience.. they mature a little later when hatched in fall in my experience. and almost none start laying when the information says they should.. which would be based on controlled environment seriously micromanaged all the way from hatch

Stop with the heat lamp! It's very much not required in addition to being costly to run, possibly dangerous, and ultimately NOT helpful for your situation.

Check out this article and the video inside.. to help pass the time and find lots of interesting information along the way..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/


I MUST be crazy.. hoping for eggs at almost 19 weeks in Northern California with NO supplemental lighting.. The white Rock and gold sex link are looking promising though, starting to get more chatty with combs having brightened and plumped up a couple weeks ago. The two EE are clearly at least a month out (I'm still rooting for mid Jan)..

 

[SueT]

It’s length of day, not weather, that affects start/stop of laying. My hens ALL stop laying for the winter, and pullets always wait till spring to start.
There are breeds or hybrids that will lay all winter, but for the rest of us, it is said they need 14 hours of daylight. Mine seem to prove that.

 

[hannahsocal]

Another thing is if its 50 to 80 degrees do not have a heat lamp on or any supplemental heat. They are proabably way to hot and are going to get stressed.

Oh really? Okay, at what temp should I put supplemental heat in then to make them think it’s spring?

 

[hannahsocal]

It’s length of day, not weather, that affects start/stop of laying. My hens ALL stop laying for the winter, and pullets always wait till spring to start.
There are breeds or hybrids that will lay all winter, but for the rest of us, it is said they need 14 hours of daylight. Mine seem to prove that.

So supplemental lighting helps then? Maybe I should put light in the coop too and not just the run. My pullets are doing nesting behavior right now (sitting and starting to make nests, finding spots to lay in, squatting for the boys) so it SEEMS like they’re ready. Idk