So Much For Slowing Down Production!

[TaraBellaBirds]

My 16 laying hens were hatched in April of this year and since laying have been pretty consistent. I have been getting 8 to 10 eggs a day. So I was expecting a drop in production, even though I have breeds that are supposed to lay through the Winter. They did slow down with the first cold snap, there was about 3 days where I got 6 to 7.
Well we got our first snow so we turned on our lamp to heat the coop a bit, mostly for the younger pullets. The first two days of the snow I was back up to 9 to 10 each day but they did not step foot on that nasty white stuff!! Yesterday was the first day they actually got brave enough to go out and forage a bit! I got 6 eggs in the morning and 6 more that evening!!!

How are your girls handling the cold?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Birds in their first year will usually lay just fine through winter. It's the 2nd year that you will see a drastic reduction in eggs as they molt. I have 40 hens/pullets of all ages and am getting 3 eggs a day. About 12 pullets have not started laying yet.

Mine don't like snow, but lucky for them, we don't get a lot of it.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Birds in their first year will usually lay just fine through winter. It's the 2nd year that you will see a drastic reduction in eggs as they molt. I have 40 hens/pullets of all ages and am getting 3 eggs a day. About 12 pullets have not started laying yet.

Mine don't like snow, but lucky for them, we don't get a lot of it.

Three eggs a day for 40 hens????? I guess I will have to rely on my yearly additions for winter eggs! I sell, and my customer base is expanding daily! I researched good winter layers just for this reason, even if I had to give up year-round production. I have RIR's, BJG, BR, BO, and several different types of pullets!
Our winters get pretty cold and sometimes we get a ridiculous amount! With 40 hens you must sell eggs too, how do you make up for that lose in production?

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Yes, I raise babies each year to keep myself in eggs and new birds for breeding.

I do sell eating eggs as well, and so far, I'm mostly keeping up. Some of my molting hens are done feathering in and putting on weight again, so they should be starting up soon.