Winter egg laying

[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.

 

[aart]

Meghen, my light Sussex, is laying every day. This is her second winter and we are currently in the darkest part of the year.

7 days a week?
That's pretty amazing!
Did she molt this fall?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

We have 1.5 yr old hens, 4-6 mo pullets, welsh Harlequin X ducks, and guinea hens. The guineas were very consistent layers in spring and summer, but molted and stopped laying in October. I expect them to start again in April. The ducks were incredible last fall-summer; they almost never missed a day. Broodiness/molting in late summer-fall stopped their laying for several months, and only 2/4 have started back up but they are again very consistent. The hens/pullets are a mixed bag. I think that the pullets were a bit young for good winter laying, only a few started laying before it became cold. Our hens mostly molted in fall and stopped laying, with a few hens just molting now (brrrrrr). Several hens molted earlier In the fall and are laying again, probably 5 eggs a week. We are currently getting about 5-6 eggs a day from 23 hens/pullets, with six pullets too young to lay for their breeds (Ameraucana and Favorelles). So, 5-6 eggs per day from 17 6 mo or older chickens, plus 2 eggs per day from 4 layer ducks. We also have a mallard, but I don’t expect her to lay in winter.

 

[Chebird]

I have two 5 1/2 years old girls: a Maran, and a Black Sex Link. The Sex Link still lays eggs in the spring and summer. The Maran has always been a freeloader. I thought chickens lived to be 8 or so. We have 23 others that we just got last year, and we will be devastated if they die at 3.

We have been averaging about a dozen eggs a day until last week. Last week, the production dropped to 3 to 6 eggs a day.

I'm shocked that your red sex links are still alive! I heard that they live until they are three and that's about their max. My red sex links have laid almost every single day this year. One of them has stopped for the winter, which I don't mind.

 

[aart]

Several hens molted earlier In the fall and are laying again, probably 5 eggs a week.

@Mixed flock enthusiast .... Are you using supplemental lighting?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't use supplemental lighting and have never gotten winter eggs from pullets or hens until this year... my one current holdout lays twice a week right now but is finally molting so I don't anticipate she'll continue much longer.

 

[FortCluck]

7 days a week?
That's pretty amazing!
Did she molt this fall?

My red sex links haven't molted I don't think. I'd probably know if they did. Ginger has laid every day since January. Not even lying...

I want her to stop laying because I know she will be the first to pass away.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

@Mixed flock enthusiast .... Are you using supplemental lighting?

Oops, meant to put that in my post - no supplemental lighting. We currently have just under 10 hr of natural light per day. And it looks like a third duck decided to resume laying today! That would make 3/4 of layer ducks laying if she continues.

 

[ChickenFlamingo]

7 days a week?
That's pretty amazing!
Did she molt this fall?

Yes, she did moult. It was a light moult, not a hard gone naked moult.
She is also top hen, and the most inquisitive and friendly one. The others follow her lead.

 

[FortCluck]

After I made this thread my eggs went to 3 I'll see what it is today. I might be in the no egg club