The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[potagergirl]

I have a question that seems to be eluding me when I try to find the answer.

When winter came on the chickens for some reason wanted to continue sleeping in the large corn crib instead of going into the chicken house.
To stop this problem we set up a light low 60w bulb in the chicken house. At first hubby ran it for a few hours at night and I told him it wasn't
a good idea. In reading it over he chose to go with an hour before sunrise and an hour after dark. Thus we have a nice timer.
Reading further it was suggested to use a red light bulb. Thus we changed it to a red light bulb.

Now I am not complaining about the change in the chickens. The roosters are less grumpy they don't pick fights like they had with the white bulb.
But it concerns me that chickens shouldn't be laying when its winter/cold yet this is my chickens first year and when we put the red bulb out they
had just begun laying an egg or two a day. Since the red light they started laying 5 eggs + per day.
Not complaining but is this a good idea for them to lay in the winter like this?
I have cochin and white crested black polish hens.

thank you for your help,

 

[ronott1]

I have a question that seems to be eluding me when I try to find the answer.

When winter came on the chickens for some reason wanted to continue sleeping in the large corn crib instead of going into the chicken house.
To stop this problem we set up a light low 60w bulb in the chicken house. At first hubby ran it for a few hours at night and I told him it wasn't
a good idea. In reading it over he chose to go with an hour before sunrise and an hour after dark. Thus we have a nice timer.
Reading further it was suggested to use a red light bulb. Thus we changed it to a red light bulb.

Now I am not complaining about the change in the chickens. The roosters are less grumpy they don't pick fights like they had with the white bulb.
But it concerns me that chickens shouldn't be laying when its winter/cold yet this is my chickens first year and when we put the red bulb out they
had just begun laying an egg or two a day. Since the red light they started laying 5 eggs + per day.
Not complaining but is this a good idea for them to lay in the winter like this?
I have cochin and white crested black polish hens.

thank you for your help,

pullets that start laying eggs in the early Fall will usually keep laying eggs through the first winter. They will molt the next Fall at a year and a half old and stop laying that winter.

Lights will make them start back up again but they will still not lay for 4 to 6 weeks when molting. The light needs to give them 12 to 14 hours of light for egg laying.

 

[Leahs Mom]

@potagergirl
There are pros and cons on the light addition and several ways you can look at it.

Since this is the "Natural Chicken Keeping" thread, many of us let them go the natural way - not providing extra light. The benefit of that is to let their body get the rest during the time they'd naturally take the time off. Like @ronott1 said, most pullets lay all winter through on their first winter - light or no light. (I say "most" because my pullets NEVER LAID this year yet...very strange and I hear of others w/the same experience this year. Not sure exactly what's going on.)

Anyhow, many of us "natural" folks believe no light is the healthier option and goes along with the way they were designed and lets them rest and build up for the next season. The thought is that they will liver a longer, healthier, more productive life rather than if they are constantly laying. Theory is also that eggs should be healthier as well for those that are eating them.

 

[ronott1]

pullets that start laying eggs in the early Fall will usually keep laying eggs through the first winter. They will molt the next Fall at a year and a half old and stop laying that winter.

Lights will make them start back up again but they will still not lay for 4 to 6 weeks when molting. The light needs to give them 12 to 14 hours of light for egg laying.

@potagergirl
There are pros and cons on the light addition and several ways you can look at it.

Since this is the "Natural Chicken Keeping" thread, many of us let them go the natural way - not providing extra light. The benefit of that is to let their body get the rest during the time they'd naturally take the time off. Like @ronott1 said, most pullets lay all winter through on their first winter - light or no light. (I say "most" because my pullets NEVER LAID this year yet...very strange and I hear of others w/the same experience this year. Not sure exactly what's going on.)

Anyhow, many of us "natural" folks believe no light is the healthier option and goes along with the way they were designed and lets them rest and build up for the next season. The thought is that they will liver a longer, healthier, more productive life rather than if they are constantly laying. Theory is also that eggs should be healthier as well for those that are eating them.

I did not really did not finish my thought on this so I will try to bullet point it.

1. pullets that start in the Fall will usually continue through the winter
2. They need 12 to 14 hours if you are forcing them with light. An hour in the morning and evening is not enough
3. Red is not the color you use to force laying


Therefore you likely have young pullets and the light is not making them lay now.

Forcing them to lay in the winter can cause problems with some breeds. A more natural way is to raise winter layers. Those breeds will continue laying with low light in the second year.

http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

look for breeds with a snow flake. A very good choice is one of the Plymouth rocks. I like Partridge Rocks and I might try some Silver Penciled Plymouth rocks next year.

 

[ChickChickChicky]

This article seems to indicate that egg prices will soon skyrocket...
http://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/sectors/item/19754-coming-egg-shortage-will-tax-family-budgets

 

[threescompany]

This article seems to indicate that egg prices will soon skyrocket...
http://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/sectors/item/19754-coming-egg-shortage-will-tax-family-budgets

I need to get more chickens!

 

[Shan30]

I need to get more chickens!:cd

Agreed, one can always use more chickens!
I'm still paring down at this point in preparation for spring hatches. Think we're down to about 35. Although I'm being sent a silver laced polish cockerel chick in February to make up for one I purchased that turned out to be something else entirely and I'm thinking about buying some packing peanuts to go with it. Marans packing peanuts hahaha! Still stuck on the fence between Marans and Welsummers but this guys Marans are nice and only $10.50 per chick sexed...can't say no to that right?!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

This article seems to indicate that egg prices will soon skyrocket...
http://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/sectors/item/19754-coming-egg-shortage-will-tax-family-budgets

I just hope the feed prices don't go up. If the store eggs cost more maybe local farm eggs will sell better at a fair price.

 

[ronott1]

I just hope the feed prices don't go up. If the store eggs cost more maybe local farm eggs will sell better at a fair price.

Supply and demand would say that feed prices would go down because less chickens were being fed.

The cost of producing chicken feed should stay the same so feed prices should stay stable--unless there is a big drop in feed grains next year.

 

[konachicks]

I have an odd question. I live in Hawaii so of course I DONT have a fireplace. Can I make wood ash in my bbq? I have a brand new one that hasn't had charcoal in it yet and want some dang ash for my girls lol