Which of these breeds are most "seasonal"

[Ms.Frizzle]

Recently I bought a mixed package of chicks from McMurray as payment for some ppl who are letting my chickens live with them until that day I have a place to put them. They arrived Memorial day weekend, and I'm going to guess they'll start laying in September. The man is saying that come winter, he is going to ax the "seasonal" ones, breeds that don't lay during winter.

Could you tell me which of these would be the most likely not to lay during that time so I can save him from axing the flock?

Brown Leghorn
White Leghorn
Speckled Sussex
Dark Cornish
Silver Hamburg
Barred Rock
Turken
Ameracana
Blue Andalusian
Red sex link?

 

[Gallusfarm]

Seems like such a shame to ax pullets within the 1st year. You should be able to sell them for a decent price as point-of lay pullets in the fall. Now if they were going into their 2nd or 3rd winter, the rate of lay will slow down a bit.

Since they will be starting in Sept. most if not all of those breeds should lay relatively well during the winter months. I know from experience the leghorns, sussex, rocks and sex links do lay well the 1st winter.

 

[Happy Chooks]

All breeds will quit laying during their fall molt. Except for most in their first year. (I've had a couple 9 month olds molt) They usually start molting at 12-18 months, depending on when they hatched. That's why I hatch chicks every year, so I have pullets laying when the adults quit laying.

You can delay the molt by putting a light in the coop that keeps 15 hours of daylight. The shorter days is what triggers them into molt.

 

[pips&peeps]

The later you hatch in the year, the more likely you push out the onset of lay for pullets. Some of them won't even start to lay if they mature too far in the winter months.

I would say, though that the rarer breeds would probably be more likely to be seasonal layers.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Ameraucana will slow to stop laying in winter. Cornish are not considered a great layer. All others will produce well all year round unless your in the south then some of the heavier feathered will slow down in the heat; barred rock, sex link, sussex.

 

[Ms.Frizzle]

Thanks guys. I'm from Wisconsin, so we get pretty heavy/long winters. Any other opinions?

 

[ccshambhala]

Mine lay all winter and I have anconas (high leghorn blood), blue andalusian, ee's (which is what mcmurray sells as "ameracauna"), silver hamburgs AND speckled sussex (nearly all of what was in your order). All of the breeds ordered are layers aren't they (except the cornish - and I know nothing about turkens)? I do not put a light in my coop at all during the winter unless it gets SUPER cold (20's for me). I do have a big south facing window. After feeding the babies for 5 months waiting for them to lay it would seem more economical to keep them for AT LEAST their first year as it is in their first year they lay the most (altho my 4 yr old anconas still lay well for me). Mine also molt at different times - not all in winter - so the effect on egg laying is somewhat staggered.

 

[ThinkingChickens]

If you keep a light in the coop many may lay through winter.