Will my chickens have a winter break and when will it happend?

[Firsttimehens1234]

I have 4 egg laying hens who all started laying in late September, they have been laying for a couple weeks and we still get a egg from each every day or other day. Will this continue though the whole winter because they just started laying or will they have a break?

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Last year my pullets laid through the winter. I know Pullets do. It will be interesting to see if last years pullets will. I won't add extra light as I want them to do it naturally. Although I will be constructing a few perches off the snow covered grown facing the south.

 

[aart]

They might, or they might not.
They may continue gungho, or slow down a bit.
Only time will tell.

Pullets often do lay thru the winter.
Then next fall/winter they will stop laying and molt.

 

[WIchickMama]

Yep, agree with above they should lay but some don't. I had two pullets last year that stopped laying the first week of Oct, no molt and didn't lay until March-same thing happened with those two this year

 

[saysfaa]

How far north (or south for those in the southern hemisphere) you live matters; at least if you don't leave lights on to lengthen the day. The sooner the days get shorter and the shorter the days get, the more likely a pullet will take a winter break. Hm, actually, I don't know if anyone systematically studied that or if it is just logic.

It is still variable depending on the things people said above and similar things.

Mine started about as yours have. They began slowing down in December (the last egg was laid Christmas Eve). They began laying again about 4 to 6 weeks later. The ones that stopped first, started last. All of them skipped days for a few weeks as they stopped and as they started.