Those of you that don't use artifical light

[stone_family3]

What is the longest winter break your girls have taken? I'm going on a little over a month now with no eggs

 

[Frost Homestead]

I have some that haven't laid since October. they're not molting and it's 70 degrees outside today

I've heard that feeding them some crushed red pepper can help get them laying again. I think I'm going to give it a try

 

[stone_family3]

Quote:
I'm going to give that a try, thanks for the tip.

 

[Blueicebird]

I've changed nothing with my just under a year hens, and all of them have kept laying as usual. I guess i'm a lucky mom. They lay everday minus my Silkie and Arumericana, they are every other day. I have not changed any lighting or habits.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Quote:
They will lay through the winter without extra light their first year.

Mine are in their second year and I'm not expecting anything until the days are longer again. There are less than 10 hours of daylight right now here. I'm not sure what month we'll be in when we get back up to 14 hours of light again... I miss eggs

 

[ErinG]

Just got my first egg in probably 6 weeks or so. Expecting more and more as they come off of molting and the days get longer. It's tough going without eggs, but I like giving their bodies a break from all that hard work!

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

There's a new "nutritional movement" called Slow Food. It's about being healthier by eating what's available, when its available. For instance, sugaring up on fruits like apples, grapes and oranges in the autumn (when they're ready for harvest) to fatten ourselves up for long dark winters; harvesting bitter greens in the early spring to get a jump start on bright long summer days full of activity and less sleep, eating meat and eggs produced within your home town to improve your "biome" or the germs that keep you protected from new diseasy germs, etc.

I wonder if there's any scientific data about this phenomenon? Maybe we're not supposed to eat rich eggs while its cold & dark and we're less active?

But in answer to your question, we use no artificial light and our 3 year old hens aren't laying anything. The 1 year olds have slowed to 1 egg per 3 days each. They all appear to be healthy with wondrous feathering, hot feet and normal weight, and their poops and vent skin show no sign of parasites, so I have to assume that all is well. They are active and healthy looking birds.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have a couple hens that have started back up at 2 months and a week. I have several hens that are going through very hard molts that haven't laid in over 4 months.

It just depends on the hen and how hard of a molt she goes through. In my experience, the average is about 3 months.

 

[ThinkingChickens]

I'm in CA, though the mountains, and we've been having 60 degree days. Our girls are ALL laying age, all within their first year. From the six I might get one egg a day right now. I'm going to review their nutrition to make sure I'm doing what I'm supposed to be, but they all look and act healthy. I guess this can be normal though I was expecting a bit more. Oh well, whatever they give us we'll have to go with. Oh, and we use no artificial light or heat.

 

[33yardbirds]

No breaks just a slow down. Still more than enough eggs each day. BRs and RIRs