Winter Layers?

[Mrs. K]

Multi-generational flocks, and freezing eggs when in high production helps me get through the dark nights of winter. My pullets usually are laying enough for us to eat eggs, frozen eggs can keep up with the baking, and often times for when the family comes home.

Some years better than others. Not too many days do I go down and not get at least a couple of eggs. And just this week, one of my hens started laying again. By mid January, I am expecting a lot more eggs.

 

[NewBoots]

Nice! So we shouldn't need too many hens to keep us in eggs even in winter. Asside from the Chicken Math of course.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

My experiences are that most (not all) dual purpose breed pullets from hatcheries in the US will lay through their first winter, depending on when they are hatched. They continue to lay until the following fall, when they molt and stop laying while they use the nutrition that was making eggs to make feathers instead. I do not extend lights or feed them special when they are molting.

Many of these dual purpose breed hens will start laying again when they finish the molt, regardless of the time of the year. Some may finish the molt in a couple of months or even less, some may take five months. That's due to genetics and how fast the fathers fall out, not how fast they grow back after they fall out. Some will wait until warmer weather and the days get longer to start laying. It depends a lot on the individual. I did say most, not all.

Ornamental breeds generally lay fewer eggs and are less likely to lay in the winter. Again note that I said generally. You can always find exceptions. This kind of stuff is not absolute. It's not a case of all of a certain breed will while all of a certain different breed will not. It just doesn't work that way with living animals.

The dual purpose breeds from hatcheries I have direct experience with are Sussex, Orpington, Black Australorp, Delaware, and Rocks. I also had true Ameraucana from a breeder, they also laid really well because she was breeding them to lay well. Some other dual purpose breeds I would expect to follow my dual purpose pattern are Rhode Island Reds or Whites, Wyandotte, New Hampshire, Marans, Welsummer, Buckeye, Dorking, Naked Necks (Turkens), and Chantecler. I'm sure I'm missing several.

Ditto to all! Well I do occasionaly consider Winter laying ability in my breed selection, my experience is that it is generally more about the age of the bird than the breed with regards to a winter production.

Production breeds are less affected by season that 1st year, so I use rotational management in my flock to maintain a steady supply of eggs. Each year I replace 1/2 or more of my birds with 1st year layers, these birds will begin laying in the fall about the time that my older birds are taking time off for molt. The newbies lay through the Winter, and sometimes so do some of the older girls, and then come Spring the older girls join in and you're swimming and eggs. I don't keep any birds passed the 2nd laying cycle common because quality and quantity does begin to decline in subsequent cycles and selling at the end of that 2nd cycle still leaves me with a fairly marketable bird who I have no problem finding a new home for.