Will pullers start laying in winter.

[Mr Clean Kansas]

I have a 60, 10 week old pullets 20 each Plymouth barred rock, Rhode island red, and heavy sex links. I have never started chicks this late in the year. My adult flocks usually start laying 20 to 22 weeks of age when I start them in April. My question is will these girls start laying in cold weather? They will be 20 weeks old in January. I have lights on a timer so they get 14 hrs of light every day. I live in Kansas and January and Feburary can be brutally cold. Any input will be appreciated.

 

[Acre4Me]

I have a 60, 10 week old pullets 20 each Plymouth barred rock, Rhode island red, and heavy sex links. I have never started chicks this late in the year. My adult flocks usually start laying 20 to 22 weeks of age when I start them in April. My question is will these girls start laying in cold weather? They will be 20 weeks old in January. I have lights on a timer so they get 14 hrs of light every day. I live in Kansas and January and Feburary can be brutally cold. Any input will be appreciated.

you have breeds that are higher egg producers and will reach 20 weeks after the winter equinox (shortest day of the year), so days will be lengthening. Of course you supplement light (so do I), so they may start at around 20 or so weeks.

we had some September chicks and they started to lay at the expected time frame, still in winter.

Hope they are good producers for you!

 

[Mr Clean Kansas]

you have breeds that are higher egg producers and will reach 20 weeks after the winter equinox (shortest day of the year), so days will be lengthening. Of course you supplement light (so do I), so they may start at around 20 or so weeks.

we had some September chicks and they started to lay at the expected time frame, still in winter.

Hope they are good producers for you!

Thank you for your response. I have never raised late year chicks in th 30 or so years I have raised layers.

 

[Acre4Me]

Thank you for your response. I have never raised late year chicks in th 30 or so years I have raised layers.

Having done both, spring and fall, there is a definite advantage to fall chicks: still warm enough for them to not get overly chilled and can explore a lot (momma hen or not), get in decent feathers before it really gets cold (here, in west central Ohio anyway), then they produce eggs in earnest early spring, through summer and fall! If one tends to be broody, she can get in a hatch to raise by mid-summer to fall time frame. I’ll still get spring chicks, of course as nothing says “spring” like flowers, leaf buds, and baby chicks.

 

[Mr Clean Kansas]

Having done both, spring and fall, there is a definite advantage to fall chicks: still warm enough for them to not get overly chilled and can explore a lot (momma hen or not), get in decent feathers before it really gets cold (here, in west central Ohio anyway), then they produce eggs in earnest early spring, through summer and fall! If one tends to be broody, she can get in a hatch to raise by mid-summer to fall time frame. I’ll still get spring chicks, of course as nothing says “spring” like flowers, leaf buds, and baby chicks.

Great to meet you and I loved hatching eggs. I try to have something in the incubators all the time. Quail. Ducks, Guineas, or any new challenge. Hatching eggs is addictive.

 

[Acre4Me]

Great to meet you and I loved hatching eggs. I try to have something in the incubators all the time. Quail. Ducks, Guineas, or any new challenge. Hatching eggs is addictive. View attachment 1935489 View attachment 1935493

I’m tempted to do more hatching. I’ve only hatched quail in a homemade incubator. I’ve used a broody to sit, then adopt the chicks I specifically purchased. But, I do have plans for a larger homemade incubator, so I may just have to do this sooner rather than later!

 

[GC-Raptor]

I bought day old Barred Rocks August 15, 2018. They started to lay January 3. All were laying around 23 weeks.
I only add light in the morning at 5 am. GC

 

[PirateGirl]

By January day length is already increasing in the Northern Hemisphere so yes, they could start laying. I've had birds lay their first eggs in December, January, and February before, when it comes to first eggs, anything goes

 

[aart]

I have lights on a timer so they get 14 hrs of light every day.

That might 'help' them continue to mature more quickly than without lights, but they still won't start laying until physically mature enough to ovulate.

the winter equinox (shortest day of the year),

Solstice .....Equinox was in September.

 

[Acre4Me]

Solstice .....Equinox was in September.[/QUOTE]

true! Was not paying enough attention to what I was typing apparently!