Winter is almost upon us, you know what that means!

[tlcmurphy]

Wow, that's cold! Do you dub the males and/or the females with the larger combs? Keeping the best eggs for yourself is definitely the smartest thing to do. They don't get to go out in the cold and change the feed and water, why should they taste the delicious eggs

Then my hubby and kids shouldn’t get them either

 

[fluffycrow]

Then my hubby and kids shouldn’t get them either

Immediate family is pardoned

 

[tlcmurphy]

Well none of us are getting Yard Fresh Eggs at the moment, so…

 

[fluffycrow]

Well none of us are getting Yard Fresh Eggs at the moment, so…

I'm getting some, but not much. Doesn't help that today I dropped the two remaining ones

 

[tlcmurphy]

I'm getting some, but not much. Doesn't help that today I dropped the two remaining ones

 

[ForFlocksSake]

So is it just the sunlight that affects laying or temps too? I live in a warmer climate. It's gets cold at night but been 65-75 during the day. Daylight is 6:45-6:15ish. But my 3 layers are still consistent with the eggs. They're new layers so not sure if that's a factor, but my leghorn and RIR pretty much lay every day and my Barred rock who started this week has been giving us eggs most days. will it slow down as the days get even shorter even if we don't have consistent freezing weather?

 

[fluffycrow]

So is it just the sunlight that affects laying or temps too? I live in a warmer climate. It's gets cold at night but been 65-75 during the day. Daylight is 6:45-6:15ish. But my 3 layers are still consistent with the eggs. They're new layers so not sure if that's a factor, but my leghorn and RIR pretty much lay every day and my Barred rock who started this week has been giving us eggs most days. will it slow down as the days get even shorter even if we don't have consistent freezing weather?

How old are they? It's mostly sunlight. We get the same temps here. Pullets usually keep laying, although slightly more sporadically

 

[ForFlocksSake]

How old are they? It's mostly sunlight. We get the same temps here. Pullets usually keep laying, although slightly more sporadically

25/26 weeks. Im talking fresh layers.

 

[rosemarythyme]

25/26 weeks. Im talking fresh layers.

They should continue laying without too much issue, maybe a slight dip in production with shorter days. Those same birds next year will likely molt in fall and slow/cease laying in winter.

 

[tlcmurphy]

25/26 weeks. Im talking fresh layers.

The young hens will generally lay through their first winter although not so regularly. After that they take a winter break to molt. It’s due to daylight not temps.

Curious, in the arctic (Alaska etc) when there are periods of complete dark or complete light, what do your chickens do?