why do breeders stop selling in the fall?

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

My climate is pretty mild, but my flock all but stops laying as soon as the winter weather hits. Last year we went from 8 eggs a day to 4 a week at most in the late fall. For a few weeks they didn't lay at all. But in spring... I will be getting at least a dozen a day...yikes!!!

 

[TedJan92_in_Idaho]

My opinion is that most serious breeders are not egg peddlers. They give their birds a break. After a few deals I have had here (Wrong chicks, unfertile eggs), I know there is a huge difference between the 2. You can look at the auctions and tell who's who JMO

 

[chrislemurs]

they need a rest if you wont to keep them healthy. Hens that lay all year do not live as long as if you give them a rest.

 

[Cattitude]

I don't light any of my coops except the brooder, so whether they lay eggs or not is up to them...

 

[Illia]

Yep, same here. I live in a very mild climate but even then, any girl over 1 year old has gotta molt each fall, and during the winter my girls still do lay but the CONSTANT rain and cloudy days drop production to just enough for me to have some eggs for myself. Plus, half my boys usually lose most of their testosterone due to the lack of light for winter.

 

[wolftracks]

I'm getting an occasional egg here. Even the quail are stopping.

My SPPRs were the first to start moulting and the rest are following. Last year I could rake in the moring and by night time it looked like a giant pillow fight had gone on back there. Lots more birds now too, but most of the younger ones haven't even started laying yet.

I am probably going to add some light later. I need to build up some breeds and produce new breeders, so first of the year I should be able to start hatching from my own birds again. Until then I guess I'm back to shipped eggs.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

It's also VERY difficult to raise chicks at this time of year for many of us - especially north of the border. Chicks require more heat than mother nature provides over the next couple of months. So I'm sure there really isn't a huge demand for fertile eggs and young stock at this time of year. Might as well let the ladies rest.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Not many people are hatching this time of year. Few people want to carry new chicks over the cold winter months. There is little demand for hatching eggs.

I've got all my birds turned out together, because it is a lot less work to care for just one flock. So any eggs I get right now aren't purebred and my family is eating them.

I won't separate the birds into breeding pens until January and can guarantee purebred eggs by the first of March, which is when it is occasionally warm enough to ship eggs.

But right now, the birds and I are all taking it easy.

 

[pinkwindsong]

Quote:
what kind of lights do you use.. i'm in Sc.. like tonight its cold and windy but i only have a reg light bulb out there.. I want to change to a heat lamp soon for them... what do you suggest. ? and what kind of light is used to lengthen their days? I dont necessarily want them to not rest but ive been out there with them since the days are shorter and they seam bored and not ready for bed yet? they jump down from the roost and play with me up and down and want goodies wide awake.. seams that they are just going to bed early? I think most people add the extra light int he am though dont they?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
what kind of lights do you use.. i'm in Sc.. like tonight its cold and windy but i only have a reg light bulb out there.. I want to change to a heat lamp soon for them... what do you suggest. ? and what kind of light is used to lengthen their days? I dont necessarily want them to not rest but ive been out there with them since the days are shorter and they seam bored and not ready for bed yet? they jump down from the roost and play with me up and down and want goodies wide awake.. seams that they are just going to bed early? I think most people add the extra light int he am though dont they?

I did the extra light to lengthen the day thing last year and will never do it again. Although the ladies continued to lay VERY well all winter, they also feather picked like mad because they were awake and bored and couldn't be outside. I also had weird laying and moulting problems crop up during the summer once the lights were turned off even though the days were naturally long. I will NEVER do the artificial light thing again.