Will the time of day I feed the chickens affect their laying habits?

[kimmiekitten86]

My chickens are fed through an automatic feeder (i.e. a pvc pipe that has a bend at the bottom that I fill from the top), but I go outside every morning to either feed them a treat (smashed up hard boiled egg, oatmeal, etc.) or just to check on them. I usually go out between 8 and 9 am. The last two mornings though, I've been going outside around 6 am, and I wondered if I fed them earlier, would they lay earlier? I don't even know if that has anything to do with when they lay...just wondering!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The lay cycle is every 26+ hours so when they're fed won't change the cycle.
Feeding treats, however, has been proven to have an effect. If a hen is on her way to lay or had just entered the nest and treats are offered, she'll come off the nest to get the goodies and that actually delays the current and future lay cycles. Therefor it's better to give treats late in the day when fewer eggs are being laid.

 

[kimmiekitten86]

That's a good point...I'll start only giving them a treat in the afternoons. Thank you!