Winter eggs after 2yrs?

[Duckfarmer1]

So, I have 12 hens that I was unsure of their ages because we got them from a rather sad situation..( which most of you know). We definitely did not think they were too young because not much on that farm was young. Ugh. After being on this forum awhile, I’m realizing that typically hens don’t lay in the winter after 2 years old? Is that true? But then they start up again in the spring.

So, my options are to get more chicks this spring, so they are old enough this coming winter of 2020. Next year use artificial heat...which my hubby is against...I suppose because we have a lot of dough wrapped up in this whole farm which started out as my “hobby”. Oops. Cull these birds!?!? Once they stop laying...

Are there more options? BTW. Our 12 hens were producing 9-11 eggs a day. They are now down to about 8. Dear hubby doesn’t think so, he still tells people our eggs haven’t dropped. So, he either loves the hens..that I care for. Which, he does love them because we do play with them, I just do the work. But, my point is, he’s not going to be thrilled when I say we have to buy more chicks at $35 to ensure they are hens. Perhaps I’ll pay, out of my fat stack.

 

[aart]

I’m realizing that typically hens don’t lay in the winter after 2 years old? Is that true?

Yep, that's pretty much true. They need to molt plus the days shorten which is what stops the ovulation, both happen about the same time of year.

So, my options are to get more chicks this spring, so they are old enough this coming winter of 2020. Next year use artificial heat...which my hubby is against

Yep, new chicks every year, the earlier in spring you hatch or buy, the better chance they will be laying by the time the older ones are taking their sabbatical.

It's not about heat, it's about day length.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting....that explains the biology of light and ovulation.

 

[FortCluck]

You want to add artificial light not heat. It's the shortening of days that make them slow down not the temperature.

I add chicks every spring or new POL pullets. This makes sure that I always have new layers to replace the ones that are not laying as frequent. A lot of chickens tend to slow down with their egg laying as they get older especially in the winter.

I don't add artificial lighting because I feel like my chickens deserve a break from laying. I have two red sex links that have laid everyday since January and one of them has stopped laying for the winter, which I'm happy about because these chickens are basically made just for laying. They don't live very long either because of their egg production.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Yep, that's pretty much true. They need to molt plus the days shorten which is what stops the ovulation, both happen about the same time of year.

Yep, new chicks every year, the earlier in spring you hatch or buy, the better chance they will be laying by the time the older ones are taking their sabbatical.

It's not about heat, it's about day length.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting....that explains the biology of light and ovulation.

Okkkkkk....so, if I read any of that right, and I bet I got a lot wrong, I can use Christmas lights to trigger their hormones? So, they will think it’s day, and their bodies will then produce enough eggs year round? So, if this is at all true, and at some weird chance I happen to figure out my sunrise in the summer, etc...this means my chickens will live long healthy lives, producing eggs? There has to be a catch??

This is an excellent article, excellent....I’m just not sure how to wrap it up in a nice tint package for my non-chicken interested husband. Here’s the thing. We have too many eggs already. He said, if I want to sell some..” fine”. Not real enthusiastic. We give them away. I’m pretty sure the issue of extra light comes down to money. Does anyone have a ballpark estimate...I realize we all have different electric companies..but, just give me an idea, if I string Christmas lights, on a timer, about how much a month are we talking?

And this goes without saying that I still want chicks in the spring...maybe I just wouldn’t need to buy so many, and somehow that would make him happy?

It’s like chicken math...lol.

 

[Mrs. K]

What I try and do, is when there is a lot of eggs, I freeze them. Frozen eggs work perfectly fine for baking or for scrambled eggs. They are best if used by 6 months. Generally (as in not this year) I get a reduced amount of eggs during the dark days of winter, I don't add light, I don't have electricity there. But I still get a few eggs that with the frozen, and a little frugality can get me to the end of January/February when mine start laying again.

If you add chickens, well then you should subtract chickens...always harder. just saying.

(This year, I did not get a broody, even though I have had a broody every year for the last 12, and for some reason my single pullet did not get the "I will lay through the winter as I am a pullet" notice. I am nearly out of frozen eggs.... dang it

Best laid plans of mice and men...
Mrs K

 

[Acre4Me]

Okkkkkk....so, if I read any of that right, and I bet I got a lot wrong, I can use Christmas lights to trigger their hormones? So, they will think it’s day, and their bodies will then produce enough eggs year round? So, if this is at all true, and at some weird chance I happen to figure out my sunrise in the summer, etc...this means my chickens will live long healthy lives, producing eggs? There has to be a catch??

This is an excellent article, excellent....I’m just not sure how to wrap it up in a nice tint package for my non-chicken interested husband. Here’s the thing. We have too many eggs already. He said, if I want to sell some..” fine”. Not real enthusiastic. We give them away. I’m pretty sure the issue of extra light comes down to money. Does anyone have a ballpark estimate...I realize we all have different electric companies..but, just give me an idea, if I string Christmas lights, on a timer, about how much a month are we talking?

And this goes without saying that I still want chicks in the spring...maybe I just wouldn’t need to buy so many, and somehow that would make him happy?

It’s like chicken math...lol.

Chickens will still take a break from laying when they molt, so you never really get year round eggs from a chicken. But supplemental light in the fall/winter/early spring will keep them laying, in general.

We add supplemental light using a lightbulb on a timer. This way they get 14 hours of light per day when combined with sunlight. However, This past Jan/Feb were soooo overcast for days on end, we actually saw a reduction in eggs, which surprised me. However, our oldest chickens turned 1 year in Feb, and a few were molting, which may have been the main reason for the reduction, but I think the super overcast days impacted egg production as well. Oh, and our girls seem to really dislike windy days - we have always noticed a reduction on days when the wind is hitting their run. Usually their run is protected from the main winds, or only half of the run is impacted, so they can utilize the other half. But, every once in a while, the wind just blows through their run for several hours when a front comes through and they seem to hold their eggs in until the next day

You certainly can use Christmas lights to light your coop. They should be attached to a timer, if possible, so they are always getting light at the same time every day, for the same amount of time. LED lights will use the least amount of energy, and the cost should be negligible. When lights are used, usually they are turned on early morning, then off mid morning (after the sun is fully up) and not used in the evening so the birds can naturally find their roost as the sun is setting.

 

[FortCluck]

Adding supplemental lighting isnt going to cost that much a month.

 

[aart]

They should be attached to a timer, if possible, so they are always getting light at the same time every day, for the same amount of time.

No..definitely use a timer. Consistency is most important.

 

[NatJ]

So, my options are to get more chicks this spring, so they are old enough this coming winter of 2020. Next year use artificial heat...which my hubby is against...I suppose because we have a lot of dough wrapped up in this whole farm which started out as my “hobby”. Oops. Cull these birds!?!? Once they stop laying...

Atificial light, not heat--it's convenient that light is cheaper than heat!

You've pretty much listed your options, but I can see two more:
--rescue more chickens from another source next year (hard to plan for in advance)
--keep your current hens until they die of old age, and at some point have to buy eggs because they aren't laying enough or not laying at all. (I'm guessing you already rejected that one.)

Have you had chickens through one winter yet? If not, I suggest you see how things go this winter, before making final plans for next spring. If you run short of eggs vs. having too many, you can adjust your plans. (Too many eggs this winter: just letting the same hens get older would "fix" that for the next winter. Not enough eggs this winter: get new pullets and/or add light for the next year.)

It is good to plan ahead, but it's sometimes easier to plan when you have a bit more experience.

have to buy more chicks at $35 to ensure they are hens.

Unless you like to eat lots of cockerels, you're right about that! Hatching chicks (if you have a rooster, and if you have an incubator or a hen goes broody) usually gives a mix of males and females, and can seem to tend heavily toward whichever gender you didn't want.

 

[Acre4Me]

But, my point is, he’s not going to be thrilled when I say we have to buy more chicks at $35 to ensure they are hens.

This sounds more like the cost of started pullets, and even that is high. Of course shipping has cost too. Can you not have roosters where you live? Our answer to getting rid of cockerels is to sell at auction. I just googled "livestock auction near me". I have sold cockerels two separate times at a monthly auction. While they may have ended up in a stewpot, I did try to ensure that they had a better chance of living life in a flock by caging them separately (in a home made cage of cardboard bottom, chicken wire sides and top), labelling with breed, egg color genetics, source, hatch date. And there has been a bidding war on a few of the cockerels, so am guessing not purchased for dinner.