I have 5 hens who are not yet a year old. Their laying has tapered off a bit but I am still averaging 3 eggs a day and the weather is between 20 and 34 degrees and very humid because of snow and rain. I think they are still laying well because of fermented feed, greens and other raw fruits and veggies I chop. My neighbor has had kale, spinach, cabbage, and broccoli that he shares with me. Had plenty til this snow. So we'll see. I may start sprouting for them. I also have a clear panel roof so they get maximum sun.
I really think that how well chickens lay is greatly determined by breed and age
Bad nutrition and any restriction of water will reduce laying........
But I think that your high quality feed is helping them be healthier overall, perhaps have a healthier and longer life, not increasing egg laying (or at least not by much).
But, the better diet for the chickens is probably making the eggs be better for you.
My chickens get standard layer, with some scraps, and oyster shell on the side, and my leghorns are laying almost every single day.
They have no heat or light, BUT, they were hatched just last spring, and they are leghorns.
And, where my chickens are housed is pretty dark, added to the fact that where I am is very dark too.
My other breeds aren't laying as well as the leghorns, even though they are the same age (well, most are the same age), in the exact same conditions.
I think that how much the light, cold, and feed effect the amount of eggs you get, is determined much more by the breeds you have, their age, and their overall health(so the last one might be improved by the good feed too
)
I haven't been using anything electric for the chickens, but I am getting super tired of two to three times a day water trips for four different poultry houses (the other three are ducks and geese), so I am thinking I need to see what electric deicers still work.
