Rare & Fancy Breeds Egg Chain ~ Current Offer: Serama Eggs

[JenEric Farms]

I LOVE THEM, but I have no eggs to offer right now. Someone will surely take them, they are adorable.

 

[Dandelion007]

The problem isn't with your chickens Ducky. It's with our chickens!

 

[ugly ducky]

Lights people, Lights! I do keep lights on in my barn for the inside birds. The outside ones will get a light in each house this winter, which will be set up on a timer. You should see my string of extension cords over the winter! But it does keep them laying better. Oh, I have to add, I just got my NPIP testing done yesterday, and all is good! Tested 103 birds, and all negative. The tester was really nice, and talked for a long time. I got a lot of good info from him. I was pooped last night!

 

[isadream]

Even right now they need lights?? Cuz even my mixed layers are being SLACKERS!

 

[Dandelion007]

Ugly Ducky, how many hours per day do chickens need light to lay their best?

 

[aurorarose25]

my hens aren't laying right now ,but I wouldn't mind the light brahma bantams if its ok?

 

[ugly ducky]

They say 14 hours is necessary for egg production. I give mine at least 16 hours, and it keeps them laying all winter long. Yep, they will start slowing down now with the daylight hours getting shorter. Here it's only light about 12 hours now, so they need more light to keep laying. I just put lights on my quail, who were slowing down, and left them on 24 hours a day for the first 3 day, then went to the timer, and my egg production has almost doubled in 5 days. It's worth a try if you want your birds to keep laying. I figure with the cost of feed, I need to keep them producing, even if we just eat the eggs.

 

[Dandelion007]

Okay, Lights it is.

I know at this time I have put a lot of money into birds, pens, showing, of course feed and supplements. No breaks for the chicks. Well, they already have had a couple of weeks. They are young. They can do it. Now I just need to get them all together to run as few as possible of lights. I was thinking of it because of temperatures (frost bite) anyway. I had read if they are kept in a building the chickens body heat will keep combs from freezing. And since their is no showing if they have gnarly combs.

I just talked myself into a lot of work.

 

[Dandelion007]

Quote:
You shouldn't swap eggs unless you think you can get your eggs out in at most 2 weeks. Everyone involved has to agree for any deal that deals with waiting.

You might try using lights. That's what I'm going to do.

 

[ugly ducky]

Why don't you start with just one pen, and see if it makes a difference for you. That way you'll know if it's worth all the work. My outside birds have an outside run and a small house. I just hang a single light bulb up in the top of each house. I'm using the new spiral bulbs on my quail, and it's doing the trick. Let us know if it helps.