Pullets wait for spring?

[TX Chick Noob]

We've got a Green Queen, a Black Copper Maran, a Dark Brahma, a Speckled Sussex, a Cookies N Cream and a Cream Legbar

How old are they? I see you are in New Jersey, how many daylight hours are you still having?

 

[aart]

Maybe they will and maybe they won't.
Lots of factors.

Spring is technically not until the spring equinox(March 22),
but after the winter solstice(December 22) the days begin to lengthen and that's what can trigger laying.

 

[Paz]

Thanks for the question and answers! I was also wondering that.

 

[texsuze]

My four newbies are 22 weeks right now; my BA, Penny, has already laid two eggs. My EE, Bonita, has been dutifully inspecting all nest boxes. You could very well get some girls laying soon.

 

[Mrs. K]

I just got two eggs, when I had give up hope!

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

I’ve got two Wyandottes I’m waiting on right now and I’m curious as well.

 

[Paz]

Waiting on a Rhode island red

 

[3KillerBs]

It's a definite maybe.

I had chickens from a June hatch start to lay at the beginning of December.

I have Easter hatch chicks that are not laying yet.

 

[Acre4Me]

A June hatch? Yes, they may wait until days begin to lengthen. They hatched and then daylight started to decrease. So, their whole life daylight has been decreasing. It is possible to get eggs, particularly with some breeds, but my guess is that all or the majority will begin to lay after Jan as light will be increasing.

Chickens have a pineal gland that senses light, so even a blind chicken will be regulated by light.

Some people will have lights on a timer in the coop to provide light to try to get some eggs through the winter. We have lights on a timer, and we have it so the chickens get light early morning through mid afternoon. They naturally go to roost when the sun goes down, and the artificial lights are off. We usually get eggs through the winter (except during molts, of course), but production is less than peak production times of spring/early summer. Last winter was terrible, when we hardly got any eggs and even the pullets didn’t lay (and they had been laying summer-fall). So, the lights can help, but are not a definite solution if you have birds that are naturally lower production or tend to not produce in cold weather.

 

[SueT]

@Dhkoenig you’ll have to update this thread when you get your first eggs from them! I hope you get some this fall…..