Want a breed that will lay over the NY winter

[rparrny]

I'm told that GSL hens will lay even over a cold NY winter, when I went to learn more about them I see that they are a cross of RIRs which I already have. Is the breed a better choice for egg laying in winter months or am I wasting my time looking for them?

Rivka

 

[Habibs Hens]

Leghorns are prolific layers

not stopping for winter

 

[Fred's Hens]

The truth is that the best winter layers are first year pullets. Virtually all the standard, common breeds and certainly all the layer strains and hybrids will all lay well their first winter. To assist egg laying, many folks use a timer and add a few hours of pre-dawn light from 5:30-8:00 to keep them in the laying zone. The birds are very photo-reactive and the winters of North America, in the northlands, mean very short days. Providing a couple hours of additional light works wonders.

First year pullets. Those are your best winter layers. The cold isn't a huge factor, light is.

 

[donrae]

The truth is that the best winter layers are first year pullets. Virtually all the standard, common breeds and certainly all the layer strains and hybrids will all lay well their first winter. To assist egg laying, many folks use a timer and add a few hours of pre-dawn light from 5:30-8:00 to keep them in the laying zone. The birds are very photo-reactive and the winters of North America, in the northlands, mean very short days. Providing a couple hours of additional light works wonders.

First year pullets. Those are your best winter layers. The cold isn't a huge factor, light is.

This has been my experience. Most all my pullets lay through the first winter then go on hiatus for their second winter, and the third, and the fourth.......etc. That's why commercial operations cull their layers at 18 months, cause it's not cost effective to carry a non laying bird over the winter.

Some birds do better with supplemental lighting, as mentioned. That can help a second or third winter hen lay through the winter. And as mentioned, it's the amount of light they get, not the temperature.

 

[20736]

Yep, gotta agree.
Young hens lay best.
Light is more important than temp, like was said.
I'm down on the Chesapeake Bay, so we have a little better natural light than NY.