Will pullets lay fist eggs in winter?

[Dcherie13]

just curious, I have 10 pullets that are 14 weeks now so should be of egg laying age November/December. It isn't always very cold here at that time of year but will pullets still lay their first eggs with shorter days/colder months?

 

[staceyj]

That's a good question that I ,unfortunately can't answer!
But I'm hoping everyone's not in bed and somebody might tell us!
Good luck with your chickens! They are a lot of fun!

 

[Pork Pie]

just curious, I have 10 pullets that are 14 weeks now so should be of egg laying age November/December. It isn't always very cold here at that time of year but will pullets still lay their first eggs with shorter days/colder months?

From what I have read, they should begin to lay, but they may not get into full swing until Spring.

 

[aart]

It isn't always very cold here at that time of year but will pullets still lay their first eggs with shorter days/colder months?

It's more about the short days than the temps.

From what I have read, they should begin to lay, but they may not get into full swing until Spring.

Even without supplemental lighting?

I've had pullets come into lay during winter, but had 12-14 hours of supplemental lighting on them.

 

[Pork Pie]

It's more about the short days than the temps.

Even without supplemental lighting?

I've had pullets come into lay during winter, but had 12-14 hours of supplemental lighting on them.

I'm very happy that you added that important flesh to the bones of my post. As mentioned, it was something that I had read - I have no experience of the matter, so I was relying on my memory, which is evidently not quite up to scratch

 

[andreanar]

My last flock of pullets started laying in Nov and layed all thru the winter without issue.

 

[MageofMist]

My 4 young silkie hens have recently come into lay, though mama hen is still laying eggs. Gonna see if the count of 4 small eggs and 1 large egg drops to just 4 small eggs over time.

... Also have 4 3 month old hens who may start laying in winter. All these were from a single hen and roo in just 8 months of me having them, the hen first going broody 2 weeks after I got her. And in both batches of 5 chicks, we got 1 cockerel who strangely were the first ones to hatch.

The boys are Papa Rooroo, Big Brother Peep-Peep and the newest boy, Scruffy the adorable.

 

[Maeschak]

I had about a dozen heritage chickens start laying the first week of February with no supplemental lighting. I believe they were born in early September. I'm not positive, but I believe February is the coldest month here and little daylight. (Maryland).

 

[Maeschak]

I had about a dozen heritage chickens start laying the first week of February with no supplemental lighting. I believe they were born in early September. I'm not positive, but I believe February is the coldest month here and little daylight. (Maryland).

Ps- I should note that they are all now molting and no one is giving me eggs! I think their late hatch date really screwed with their internal clocks bc I don't think they should be molting or not laying yet... I'm used to chickens laying mostly through their first winter and not a lot of slowdown until their second fall/winter.

 

[Dcherie13]

Thank you for all of the information! We have Dominiques, Cuckoo Marans and Easter Eggers. Looking forward to seeing a colorful basket sooner rather than later!

How do you know when your birds are molting? It's my understanding that they are too young for that but our coop/run is always full of feathers