why do breeders stop selling in the fall?

[pattgal]

Hi there, I keep running across people who say they have no more fertile eggs to sell right now.
I can understand people saying they have no more chicks or pullets, but no more eggs? I dont get it

 

[justbugged]

It because hens stop laying when there is less than about 14 hours of daylight. There are many owner that will not supplement light through the winter, because they feel that it is better for their hens to have a seasonal rest.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Precisely.

Hens moult and the hens rest. It is that time of year. Even though it is a business, good husbandry practices give the birds some needed time off. Many folks use these months to re-arrange their flocks for next year. The young laying/breeding pullets for next spring are just now coming into lay, offering small pullet eggs, which are not used for hatching. Some of this past year's hens will now be culled and sold off and not carried through the coming winter. The winter is a time of high food costs, with lower financial returns. It is down time.

Think of it a "model change-over" time.

 

[pete55]

Same over here in the UK as most breeders are now resting their flocks and grading the promising youngsters they want to keep. The costs of keeping birds in lay and rearing costs in Winter are just too high for most people.

With our own birds we like to keep them with nature's cycles and now is the time for maintenance diet over winter before introducing breeding diet in the Spring

 

[gmendoza]

Well I do have fertle eggs,but we are not incubating til feb next year.Its a time for flock rest,for the young pullets to begin laying,for winter maintenance and chores,for reorganising and selection for next year. Also if you have a spare sick box,its a great time to go to the auctions to buy inexpensive birds that you have been wanting or needing.

on the other hand,we have a black silkie hen that has 7 guinea eggs under her.

 

[pattgal]

Quote:
Do they eat less when they don't lay? is that what you are saying

 

[Fred's Hens]

A hen not in lay for 4 months might as well be put on a diet with lowered protein and lowered calcium. She isn't dropping a huge sphere of protein covered in calcium carbonate every day that is 8% of the body weight, perhaps.

Not "less" as much as different dietary requirement.

 

[bargain]

Some folks do want eggs year round. We do keep lights on in our trailers (mobile pens with access to the grass and ground always). We use the economical lights. And we do sell eggs year round. Our birds are well fed and we enjoy the continued eggs they provide for us and our hatching and eating eggs portion of our full time farm... See more about us at our web page if you like...http://thegarryfarm.webs.com/ Our Southern climate her is generally very kind to our poultry... Hope this was helpful to the discussion. Have a blessed day. Nancy

 

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Do they eat less when they don't lay? is that what you are saying

In some cooler areas... they may be eating a ton more food to keep warm, even without laying, or needing that energy to keep warm vs producing eggs.

 

[pattgal]

Quote:
Do they eat less when they don't lay? is that what you are saying

In some cooler areas... they may be eating a ton more food to keep warm, even without laying, or needing that energy to keep warm vs producing eggs.

yes well it can easily get to about -20c here. our coop is insulated so it can stay up to 5-10 degrees in there