Will 6 month old hens start laying in winter?

[wrathsfarm]

Wow, gorgeous marans eggs!

Thank you so much.

BCM's are my obsession and a work in progress towards breeding, but I'm getting lots of help from members here in the Marans thread.

Just wanted to show you there's still hope yours might start laying soon. Best wishes.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Usually not. I’ve found that more often than not they’ll skip the fall laying period and wait until spring.

 

[Treeoflife]

I have some black copper marans, a Wyandotte, and an Easter egger who are 25 to 27 weeks old. Is there any hope for them to start laying before spring at this point?

I've had an orpington and a welsummer start in the past two weeks, so I was holding out hope for these others.

I was not very hopeful that my younger girls would begin laying in the winter even though they are of age.

However, I have made some changes to their feed and sure enough. I got my first blue egg from this beautiful girl on Sunday night and yesterday I collected my third blue egg this week! I am very impressed with her as I had accepted that she would not begin until spring.

I increased the protein to 20% and began offering oyster shells and grit on the side.

Those are the only things I changed and who knows if that played any part at all but I am sure not complaining

 

[wrathsfarm]

I was not very hopeful that my younger girls would begin laying in the winter even though they are of age.

However, I have made some changes to their feed and sure enough. I got my first blue egg from this beautiful girl on Sunday night and yesterday I collected my third blue egg this week! I am very impressed with her as I had accepted that she would not begin until spring.

I increased the protein to 20% and began offering oyster shells and grit on the side.

Those are the only things I changed and who knows if that played any part at all but I am sure not complaining

That's a very pretty egg. Congrats.

 

[Saaniya]

I have some black copper marans, a Wyandotte, and an Easter egger who are 25 to 27 weeks old. Is there any hope for them to start laying before spring at this point?

I've had an orpington and a welsummer start in the past two weeks, so I was holding out hope for these others.

yes! at the age of 6 month they start laying eggs at any day any time weather hardly plays a role on egg laying when the age is young and hormones are kicking in
you should give her extra calcium and calories for better laying and good formed eggs

 

[wrathsfarm]

yes! at the age of 6 month they start laying eggs at any day any time weather hardly plays a role on egg laying when the age is young and hormones are kicking in
you should give her extra calcium and calories for better laying and good formed eggs

Weather does not play a role but it does coincide with shorter daylight hours when we are talking about snow and cold in the northern states like Michigan. So it's relatable in that aspect.

And shorter daylight hours will affect egg laying at any age (6 months included) without supplementing light.

 

[Saaniya]

Weather does not play a role but it does coincide with shorter daylight hours when we are talking about snow and cold in the northern states like Michigan. So it's relatable in that aspect.

And shorter daylight hours will affect egg laying at any age (6 months included) without supplementing light.

indeed! day light matters agreed i forget about day light totally

 

[Happy hen lover]

I have some black copper marans, a Wyandotte, and an Easter egger who are 25 to 27 weeks old. Is there any hope for them to start laying before spring at this point?

I've had an orpington and a welsummer start in the past two weeks, so I was holding out hope for these others.

My EE took forever almost 6 months. But even my good layers are slacking with these short days right now.

 

[DeAZ]

I have some black copper marans, a Wyandotte, and an Easter egger who are 25 to 27 weeks old. Is there any hope for them to start laying before spring at this point?

I've had an orpington and a welsummer start in the past two weeks, so I was holding out hope for these others.

My Easter Eggers are about the same age as yours, and one started laying on November 19th, while the other started today. I wonder if the geographic location has any effect on how and when chickens start and continue laying. I live in the desert southwest, where the colder temps don't last as long, and the days are never less than 10 hours long.

Maybe yours will lay when they are ready.

 

[Sunshine_Amy]

I have some black copper marans, a Wyandotte, and an Easter egger who are 25 to 27 weeks old. Is there any hope for them to start laying before spring at this point?

I've had an orpington and a welsummer start in the past two weeks, so I was holding out hope for these others.

My understanding is that yes, they will. My late-May chicks all started laying late fall or early winter last year, including my BCM whose first egg was Nov. 13. I had one go before that, but most went later. None waited until spring. I got 8 different breeds, most good winter layers, but not all.