What can I expect with Fall/winter coming, and egg production, bird habits, etc?

[malinois]

My 6 guinea hens are now 14 months old. Most of them have survived (I lost 2, one last December, and one this July)
With 6 hens, the egg laying rate has been pretty consistent at 2 eggs a day, with some (warm days) as many as 6 eggs.

I have read these birds are seasonal layers.
What exactly does that mean?
I live in SW PA, so we have fall/winter from October-March.
Will the egg laying completely stop, or will I be able to collect the occasional one or two as the days get shorter, and colder
thanks

 

[Buttercup902]

responding so I can see any replies. I have 6 week olds.

Also wondering what kind of set up you have for them to lay. I read it is hard to have them lay in the boxes, so I would love to see a picture of yours!

 

[red horse ranch]

It may be a little different in your locations, but I expect my girls to quit laying any time now. The guinea hens that are 3 1/2 yrs old have already quit laying. The 1 and 2 yr old hens still lay an egg most days. My latest egg last year was late in September.
Egg laying resumed for all of them this spring late in April.

Most of my hens make their own nests under bushes and in the middle of tall weeds. I do have a couple of guinea hens (and chickens) that like the milk crates I have attached to the wall inside the henhouse.

 

[malinois]

Thanks Red Horse....will it make any difference (do you think) if I have a light on in the coop? Because of my work schedule, I have a light on until 9:30 pm every night, so I can see when I get home to go and close the coop up.
My birds have made "nests" or indentations, in the corners of the coop, on the floor to lay their eggs. I have also found the stray egg outside over the summer also. They have had NO interest in the nesting boxes, or other places like that....silly birds

 

[red horse ranch]

I don't think a light will make much difference in how long they keep laying. Thru the winter I will have a light on a timer to keep the chickens laying eggs. But it doesn't seem to affect the guineas. I've never found a guinea egg thru the winter.

 

[malinois]

okay, (bummer) thank you! I have really been enjoying the Guinea eggs. Next year, I may have to redesign the flock some, so I can have fresh eggs, year round.
BUT I am so thankful for the tick extermination quality of these birds. I have not heard that chickens do as good of a job on the ticks, as the Guineas do....so I guess I will always have Guineas for tick and bug control, and the eggs, well they are a bonus.

 

[malinois]

Just when i thought i had these birds figured out....(sigh) they throw another curve at me. At. 14 months of age, they have decided not to come home at night, and instead roost in trees. They have NEVER even hinted at staying out all night, and i didnt even think they knew how to fly. Lol one lone bird is cooped up tonight, the other 5 i can hear in the trees. I am not sure if this is deliberate, or if it is getting dark so much earlier that they do not realize it is time to come home.
I can only shake my head, and hope they survive, and eise up to come home to the safety of the coop.