While waiting for feed testing results; how much light do hens need to lay eggs

[Alagirl]

I need to keep better track of the weather I suppose.
My girls started laying in mid-November and have produced steadily, between 2 and 4 eggs a day, some days I got 5 even.
They are not a year old yet (I got them in May of last year) 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Barred Rocks, one RIR, all from TSC, so I am not expecting top-producing birds anyhow.
They have an open coop, so as soon as the sun comes up, they have light until it goes down. They slowed a little during the cold, but not by much. I added oatmeal and more mealworms to the feed, to add carbs and fat to the diet. Temps dropped down to about 12 degrees Fahrenheit at one point, super cold for us!
Tucker Milling chick starter with oyster shell on the side, plus some Purina layer pellets, wild birdseed as scratch grains, and mealworms, for entertainment.
I am not long enough in this business to be of greater help but I am glad to provide anecdotal data to the mix.

 

[Brooks_]

FWIW, the week before the winter solstice was the most barren. Average of 2-3 a day with about 10h15m light. Production looked to have noticeable increase to about 5 a day around Jan 7 with 10h20m light. 10 today with 10h45m light.

No real records were kept/memory only. No chickens were harmed.

 

[WallyG74]

@WallyG74 first year layers or older than 18 months?

Mixture of both. My oldest will be 3 years this summer and I have a large group of first year layers. The oldest aren’t laying every day but they still giving it what they got!

 

[Meg22]

I was hoping my girls would lay through the winter as all 4 are pullets. They had other plans though. Martha gave me 8 eggs at start of September then stopped. Rainbow started laying 5 days later and went through to end November before molting. June babies didn't start. Not sure who is laying now as all the eggs look the same.

 

[saysfaa]

That is interesting, too.

Stress on top of just barely enough light (for some of the other flocks; if yours had electric light, maybe not yours). Because stress can also change nutrient needs. Feed that is made to meet the average needs, just barely, may not meet the needs under a lot of stress. Even though it is what it says it is.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm just thinking it was the stress and weather. I wouldn't be laying either if I was a chicken until a week or two ago. We had another temperature plummet this weekend and I'm fully expecting eggs to slow again. Not that I'll complain, I already have way too many and only a fraction are laying anyways

 

[Alagirl]

I find it impossible to believe that a reduction in feed quality, whatever that may be, is responsible for the reported reduction/ceasation of egg laying as some people are suggesting.
Firstly, there are a range of feeds with differing percentages of nutrients and for the the reduction in feed quality theory to stand up there would be a minimum standard at which no hens laid any eggs. This doesn't seem to be the case.
There may be a case that hens may lay less eggs with a reduction in feed quality but hens that don't get fed any commercial feed still lay eggs.
Ime stress and weather have a far greater impact on egg laying than any particular percentage of nutrients.

I've got hens laying with 9 hours of daylight, during moult and poor daylight quality. So have many other people.

Oh, but it's something THE MAN added to the feed.
funny it never happened before....

 

[Meg22]

I've been wondering about the amount of light needed. Was planning to start a thread on the winter solstice asking people to post there first egg date and day length. Was I'll so missed my timing.

We got out first egg of the year 2 days ago with 8:47 of daylight. The coop is in a shady area of the garden, great for summer but was thinking of installing a mirror to reflect the sun into their run in winter.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've been wondering about the amount of light needed. Was planning to start a thread on the winter solstice asking people to post there first egg date and day length. Was I'll so missed my timing.

We got out first egg of the year 2 days ago with 8:47 of daylight.

That might be a factor. It's weird because my flock never stopped. I feed TSC brands, and my birds' coop is dark because the run has a dark, solid roof and is near a retaining wall. And we live on the downhill slope of a heavily wooded valley. I get sunlight for about 9 hrs, which is probably a generous estimate given our location.

There are just soooo many variables. I doubt we'll ever know for sure.

 

[Shadrach]

Oh, but it's something THE MAN added to the feed.
funny it never happened before....

Yup, I know.
I can't take the idea seriously.