Winter egg laying

[FortCluck]

I want to know how many see a significant decrease in eggs in the winter.

I have 8 layers and I'm still getting 5 eggs a day and I don't consider this a significant decrease. If I went down to less than 3 then I'd consider it significant.

Also comment if you use supplemental lighting... I don't

 

[DiYMama540]

I thought my girls had slowed down significantly, for over a week I didn't get any eggs, but then...

Found a nest of about 30 eggs, chicken and duck, tucked away between the wall and a straw bale under our deck. Apparently they thought it would be a good idea to increase their numbers!

 

[ronott1]

pullets that start laying in the Summer to fall will usually continue laying the first winter. They will slow down and stop at their first molt the next winter. Rarely some will continue laying eggs through a molt but that is not normal

Supplemental lighting will keep them laying during the second winter and some breeds will lay more eggs during low daylight times of the year.

 

[FortCluck]

I thought my girls had slowed down significantly, for over a week I didn't get any eggs, but then...

Found a nest of about 30 eggs, chicken and duck, tucked away between the wall and a straw bale under our deck. Apparently they thought it would be a good idea to increase their numbers!

imagine if you didn't find them

You'd have an army!

 

[Callender Girl]

I don't use supplemental lighting either. Some of my girls lay all winter (the Sapphire Gems, for example) and others won't produce an egg until spring (Buff Orpington, Faverolles, Cochin Bantams, Wyandotte and Iowa Blues). My spring EE pullets are producing -- one nearly every day -- and two of my spring Buckeyes are laying three or four times a week. In other words, I am still giving eggs to everyone I know and eating a lot of omelets myself. My six female runner ducks won't lay again until spring, nor will the Buff geese.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

 

[DiYMama540]

imagine if you didn't find them

You'd have an army!

Yes an army! Everyone I know would be getting chicks for Christmas!!

 

[aart]

So of we add pullets every spring, we will be golden. I have the ability to continually add since I can hatch eggs.

Maybe. No guarantees.
You need to hatch them as early as possible(Feb-Mar-Apr)...which can be a challenge because laying and fertility might not be timed well for that. BTDT.
...and you'll also have to plan with that to do with the ~50% males that will hatch out.
....and remember, Chicken Math includes subtraction. I have to slaughter older hens to make sure the flock is not crowded in winter with my limited housing and harsh weather.

 

[ChickenFlamingo]

Meghen, my light Sussex, is laying every day. This is her second winter and we are currently in the darkest part of the year. Sunrise is at 8.30am, sunset at 3.30pm, although it doesn't really get very light at all. I don't use any lighting so Meghen is a real trooper.
Charlotte, my Scottish Bluebelle, currently lays about 5 eggs a week, but they are large eggs.
Betty, my BCM(ish) is the freeloader. She will sit in the nest box with Meghen and pretend she has laid the egg.

 

[FortCluck]

pullets that start laying in the Summer to fall will usually continue laying the first winter. They will slow down and stop at their first molt the next winter. Rarely some will continue laying eggs through a molt but that is not normal

Supplemental lighting will keep them laying during the second winter and some breeds will lay more eggs during low daylight times of the year.

My RSL are a year old and they are still laying, I see why they don't live long. The others are new to laying, they all started in the summer. I added 4 chicks today (5 weeks) to the layer flock so I'll have new layers in the spring. Integration went too well. Thought the Jersey Giant Cockerels would be mean, but they walked over to them and walked away. They even shared their scraps with them today.

Thanks for the information! I figure if I keep adding every winter, I'll always have layers the next winter.