Reading "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens"

[n3kms]

Okay... Need to see if I'm getting the full picture. Book says ---it takes about 6 months to raise a chick to laying age.
---starting them in the spring they can lay in the fall.
--- but in the fall they molt and don't lay eggs when they molt(maybe not their first year)
but they need to molt to get good warm feathers for winter
---then without supplemental lighting they don't lay eggs in the winter.
So.......When do they lay eggs?

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Mine started about two weeks after I just couldn't stand it any more. If memory serves me right, they laid right after I bought a dozen eggs at the store. Brats.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Oh... and

 

[n3kms]

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
yep.

..........

 

[mangled]

And wait until you get that first egg. You'll run around like a darn fool, showing everyone who will look how cute it is.

I think mine layed about the same time as Citygirlinthecountry. Just about a couple weeks after I couldn't take it anymore.

LOL

Welcome to the addiction ... I mean ... BYC.

Em

 

[tellynpeep]

My Spring chicks started laying at about 6 months (around December) and layed all winter. The first-year chickens didn't moult till the following (second) summer.
Hope this helps!
Mary

 

[33yardbirds]

I have the same book, it's a guide, not gospel. I've had RIRs and Barred Rocks years ago and now have Barred and Buff Rocks. All past birds were laying by Aug early Sept, 5 to 5 1/2 months. Never supplied light to keep them laying, they slowed down though. Molt took place late winter early spring, Feb, Mar. Go figure.

 

[n3kms]

Well, I've discovered that a lot of what I've read and what I see on BYC can be quite different. I don't have chickens yet but I really want to. Planning to build coop and run this fall and get chicks in March. I'd be building it now if I hadn't broken my wrist. Thought I would try to do a very natural route with it all. But from what I see on BYC chickens don't get broody just in the spring like you think they would. Do they really take 3 months to molt and have to have extra light to lay past september in order to lay eggs?

 

[Lotsapaints]

My Polish chickens laid all winter without lights until they were 3yrs old and they molted in their second fall and that took about a month to 6 weeks I really think it depends on where you live and how the winter is...We had one year when it was very cold and the chickens I had then stopped in November and didn't start until March but that would be rare for young hens older ones normal and after they get 5 yrs old the egg count goes way down