Winter is coming, will they keep laying??

[AZGurl]

I have 4 hens who are just beginning to lay. I live in Arizona and it is still hot here but winter is coming. My mother says they stop in the winter, is that true??? Our winters are very mild with a few moderate cold snaps. Thank you!

 

[donrae]

What breeds are they?

My experience with hatchery/production type birds is they'll lay through the first winter. The next fall, when they're about 18 months old, they molt and mine always take a break from laying for the winter. They repeat that cycle each year, taking the winter off to rest and recharge then resuming laying in the spring.

so, if your birds are production birds (dual purpose or other egg layers, not ornamentals) I'd expect them to lay through this winter. You'll be out of eggs in the winter of 16, though, so plan accordingly

 

[AZGurl]

Thank you! I have 2 RIR & 2 EE. One RIR and one EE are laying so far but the others aren't far behind. They free-range and are very happy. I figured they'd lay all winter and fell better hearing from you.
Thank you!

 

[ronott1]

Thank you! I have 2 RIR & 2 EE. One RIR and one EE are laying so far but the others aren't far behind. They free-range and are very happy. I figured they'd lay all winter and fell better hearing from you.
Thank you!

They will slow down--You live at a lattitude that has more hours of daylight in the winter, so next year expect no eggs from the EEs from about November to January. The RIR will likely slow down but not completely stop.

Look into replacing them during year 3 if you want to keep getting good egg production.

 

[AZGurl]

They will slow down--You live at a lattitude that has more hours of daylight in the winter, so next year expect no eggs from the EEs from about November to January. The RIR will likely slow down but not completely stop.

Look into replacing them during year 3 if you want to keep getting good egg production.

Ahhh, I wondered about replacing them or adding to the flock. I had read they will lay for about 18 mo and then start introducing new chicks. I originally thought I purchased Buff Orpington chicks but as they grew, they turned out to be EE.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Or you can add lighting to your coop. Hens need 14 to 16 hours continuous light to lay well and keep laying well. They slow down, but will continue to lay at 12 hours of daylight, then become vary sporadic, except for the production breeds (like the RIR) when light drops below 12 hours.

You would need to start the lighting program now (actually in August) to keep their light steady without receiving any production drop. If the lights go out too early, even one night, you will likely see a production drop and can even force a molt.

As ronott1 said, you live at a latitude where you will receive a bit more light than us northern folks, so the slowing will be lessened.

I have had mixed results with the production birds the first year. Some begin laying and lay well for 18 months, then molt, then lay again. Some molt the first fall and don't lay until spring. For me it has to do with when I hatch the chicks. I find chicks that mature by June and are laying well will lay throughout the first fall. If I have them just come into lay in the fall, they often will slow during the winter. If they have not come into lay by fall, then they will not do so until spring. It has to do with how much daylight is needed to trigger the hormones in the brain so that the egg duct matures enough (actually the ovary) in a young pullet to trigger laying. The big boys will even manipulate their lighting system so that pullets do not mature and begin to lay before 16 weeks, targeting around 22 to 24 weeks.

Your Rhodie will likely be a good production girl. Your EE's, well if they've been like mine, not so much so. But EE's vary a lot as they are hybrids. You will not see the production in the EE's however as you will in the RIR. If you want really good egg laying for those first 18 months, then purchase Production Reds or the Sexlinks and have them come into solid lay by June, July latest. Then stagger your broods such that you have pullets maturing for first year lay as your older birds are entering their first fall molt, which in my experience has been from 12 to 18 months. But be prepared some years, especially in my changeable Oregon weather, everyone will be triggered into a molt with an odd change in weather from hot to cold and you may not see eggs for awhile no matter what you do unless you use indoor facilities with lighting.

I prefer to use natural lighting due the hassle and expense of adding proper lighting to the coop. I tried a rechargeable battery system using battery powered LED closet lamps, with success, but a lot of hassle. So electrical money went to kid's college and I try to stagger my birds such that I always have pullets in first year of lay alongside the 2nd year gals, and I cull or re-home at 3 years, except for a couple of sweethearts who have graduated to "pet" status. You can usually easily give away 2 to 2 1/2 year old birds for free on Craigslit or your church list or some community forum.

My experiences.
LofMc

PS: If interested, here is a good article on the use of lighting
http://umaine.edu/publications/2227e/

 

[Blooie]

x2 Mine all laid very well last winter, despite our higher latitude and very short winter days. They were hatchery birds, and I was very pleased with them but I knew that they do this during their first year so I was content if they did slow down. I don't do supplemental light here either. I figure they Good Lord gave them a timetable - a time for them to rest, recharge, and get their molt over with as little additional stress on them as possible. So while I expect that those older girls will stop or slow down this year, the new pullets that have just kicked laying into high gear will make up for it. I'd rather have healthy chickens and buy a dozen eggs than force them into laying when their bodies need the break.

 

[AZGurl]

Thank you all! I have been told about light before so in the evening, we sit with them and lure them away from the shadows. If we are outside with them, they'll stay up an extra half hour.

 

[ronott1]

Thank you all! I have been told about light before so in the evening, we sit with them and lure them away from the shadows. If we are outside with them, they'll stay up an extra half hour.

Chickens do not need much light--It is the hours of it that is important. A rule of thumb is enough light to see their food. I have a chart for your latitude--33.3--. It does not include dusk and dawn, so you can add about 45 minutes to each end. If you add light, add it in the morning and add enough to get them into the 12 to 14 hour range. The light should be a "daylight" bulb. Very blue LED bulbs are the wrong color.

http://astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/coordsmotion/daylighthoursexplorer.html

 

[Cindy in PA]

I'm not sure why so many people claim EEs aren't good layers. I have had them in my flock 4 times & they have always been prolific layers & laid through the winter etc. Just find it curious that so many have this problem.