Topic of the Week - Winter Egg Laying

[Ponypoor]

Wyandotteys ? I’m a Wyandottey!
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Hello Mr Wyandottey hope you’re doing well today

 

[featherhead007]

Hello Mr Wyandottey hope you’re doing well today

I haven’t seen him all day today. He usually hangs out near the coop. I’m sure he just slept in this morning.

 

[Ponypoor]

Winter Egg Laying

Well it’s been a horrendously cold and snowy winter (even for here!), but it have to say I am shocked my ladies are laying eggs.

- Do or don't you supplement light to keep your hens in production over winter?
I do not use supplemental lighting per day, but I do keep lights on in the barn so that it isn’t so dark and dreary. Winter can be very dark here so I keep lights on in one of the back horse stalls, and in the pen we’re I keep my silkies.

One thing I do supplement is HEAT. People just don’t seem to realize the importance of keeping a stable heat source between 18c and 24c. This is the optimal range for all poultry, but especially laying hens.

- Are there other ways to ensure your flock stays productive, for example by replenishing the layers with young hens yearly?
I tend to ‘accumulate’ a few new chicks every year….. ok by accumulate I should clarify and say I have a weakness for babies of any species, which means when I see baby chickies they just have to come home with me. So I have a large number of geriatric old girls and a good number of youngsters.

- What do you do to prevent the eggs from freezing in the nest boxes, especially the folks that can't collect them in a timely manner.
To be honest I am shocked none of my eggs has froze this year. The barn does stay around, or a bit below the freezing point normally but this year the extreme cold has meant the barn has been around -5c to -10c, I have 2 elderly horses which come inside at night, but they don’t warm the barn up much over night.

This weekend will be the coldest it’s been all winter they are saying so I will make sure to check for eggs a few times during the day this weekend.

Meanwhile my supplemental heat in the Hen House (inside the barn) is always keeping the place they lay eggs and sleep at night around 10C (50F).

- Tips for keeping winter layers happy and healthy?
Having lots Of enrichment for them, places to hop up on, tunnels to hide in or run through, windows to look out if possible - up high preferably. Places to dust bathe, dirt to dig in. These are especially important if you live in a climate that sees extremely cold snowy long winters.

Also since they cannot get outside to forage in extreme locations something as simple as a head of cabbage or carrots, apples or other hard fruit and veggies can help pass the time. And not add to increased calories.

Lastly if one wants eggs in the winter then light is but one small part of the equation. There have been plenty of studies done on the optimal temperature for hens to lay eggs.

I came across this little article on heat and egg production, so next winter if you want eggs all winter and happy hens try what is suggested in this article:

https://www.fertrell.com/articles/laying-hens-and-winter

Happy Hen Watching everyone!

 

[Ponypoor]

I wish I had ee amd wyandots

Are those breeds available were you are? Or do production breeds tend to be the norm? I read you keep Aseel, a beautiful breed of poultry. Sorry about your chick dying.

If you can source EE and/or Wyandotte in your location you will likely have to do the reverse from here and have a way to keep them cool in the summer; I know, it’s very hot and humid here in the summer and my barn has fans running all the time for the horses and the chooks. The heat as much as the cold affects their egg laying.

I would love to see photos of your Aseel, this Spring I will be getting a few Fayoumi - they are not very cold tolerant but they will do fine in the hot summers here.