Will hens lay in the winter without an added light source?

[molschickies]

When describing egg-laying habits of each breed, my favorite chicken book (A Chicken in Every Yard, by Robert and Hannah Litt) mentions average quantities of eggs laid in the summer vs. winter. For example, my breeds will lay an average of 5-6 a week in the summer and 3-4 a week in the winter. My question though is this: If I DO NOT provide artificial light during the winter months, will my hen lay anything at all? (I live in temperate Pacific Northwest, where it seldom dips below freezing, but has fairly short and dark days.)

P.S. One of my four chicks (ahem, Hens) laid her first eggs this week and I am totally stoked!!!

 

[ChickNhood]

When describing egg-laying habits of each breed, my favorite chicken book (A Chicken in Every Yard, by Robert and Hannah Litt) mentions average quantities of eggs laid in the summer vs. winter.  For example, my breeds will lay an average of 5-6 a week in the summer and 3-4 a week in the winter.  My question though is this:  If I DO NOT provide artificial light during the winter months, will my hen lay anything at all?  (I live in temperate Pacific Northwest, where it seldom dips below freezing, but has fairly long, dark days.)

P.S.  One of my four chicks (ahem, Hens) laid her first eggs this week and I am totally stoked!!!

also very curious as I am in central illinois and building new coop...chicken math took hold...i was debating on electric in coop...

 

[rhody josephine]

Our chickens are a year old now, so I'm still new compared to many on the forum, but I have been through all the seasons with the girls. We have 6 RR and 5 BR, we live in Rhode Island, we had a fairly mild winter last winter, but it gets below freezing regularly and it's dark and gloomy for days on end. We went "all natural" no light, no heat, and although we expected a reduction in laying, it never happened! The girls continued to lay as much as always, some days 11 eggs, some days 6 or 7, but never less than 6. Go figure!

 

[cooped up]

My production decreased some from December to March and then started to pick back up again. Mixed in with that was molting by the chickens{ orps & rocks }. Only my aussie kept going full steam thru the winter. So I have 5 more pullets now, at 19 weeks they should start laying soon.

I tried a light but not til mid January with little success. This coming winter , I'll start with the light earlier.

It might be a breed issue also.