winter layers??

[thebanthams]

I notice my araunacanas are not laying eggs. its 40 degrees and they have not lay eggs over a month. Too cold for them?

 

[aoxa]

Could be the short days.

I can't speak from experience on Ameracuanas, but I have heard from a few people that they are seasonal layers. They are not listed as winter layers on the Henderson Chicken Chart .

 

[Uzuri]

Even my breeds who are good winter layers (and DID lay through the winter last year and the year before) decided to quit this year. Not sure where you are, but I think the exceptionally gloomy, rainy weather we're having here has something to do with it. We're not just having short daylight periods, we're having NO daylight periods. It's like living in Alaska. The only chicken I have laying right now is a first-year, 22 week old Gold Star who just happened to start up at just the right time. My Wyandottes are all bumming, my Wellies always were terrible winter layers.

Anyway, to sum up -- I'm another vote for them just taking their annual break.

 

[GhostRider65]

Well my girls are still laying though not like they were, 6 eggs 1 day 9 the next. from 16 hens, its been this many since late Nov. before that I got 12 to 14 eggs a day, my best winter layer so far seems to be my Ee Fileen, she hasn't missed a day in over a month. Though she lays me a pretty good sized Pinkish egg with white speckling, I will not complain. The girls I expected to still lay well over the winter, my BO, BSL's and my SLW lay about every other day, and the rest SS and WR's must be on strike due to nasty cold wet cloudy winter in Wisconsin.

 

[Fierlin1182]

It might either be that they're molting or they aren't getting enough light to keep laying - some people use lights in the coop to keep the eggs coming. I'd recommend sex links if you want eggs year round.

 

[Ole and Lena]

We've got SL Wyandottes and Barred Rocks. 17 birds started laying early october. got up to speed of 12-14 eggs a day by late November. Still getting 12 avg. give them 12 hours light in coop, free choice layer pellets and 2 cups scratch grain/shelled whole corn blend in the morning for extra empty calories for the day. They also get all our table scraps, and a good dose of butcher scraps and tallow in mid Nov to put on some fat for winter.

Been splitting wood lately and they're getting a good woodborer grub supplement. They almost jump right on the block while I'm chopping! Kamikazee chickens

 

[Stacykins]

Is it your girl's first year? If not and they are older, then they could be molting. They change their energy output from egg production to themselves to renew their feathers and give their egg makers a bit of a break.

My Araucanas, who I hatched in June and July this past year, started laying not too long ago, and still are laying without any supplemental light. But next wintery season they'll be molting.

If you want to supplement them with additional daylight, it would help ramp up egg production. But thankfully, the shortest day of the year is upon us, so things will start getting longer again! Spring is so close!

Edit: temperature wise, even though this is a warm winter here, clear nights get down to well below freezing, and most days are below freezing, too. Temperature is less of an issue than daily light.

 

[thebanthams]

my arauncanas are a little over year old. The look heathy, I dont see signs of molting. What kind of lights do you suggest? Do I keep the lights in the coop during the day?

 

[florida lee]

I have one light in each coop set with a timer to come on at 3:30 or 4:00 am and go off around 8:00 am. I am using a 23 watt bulb. power used I believe in only 7 watts.
I don't use a light in the evening because I don't want the light to go off and leave them in the dark not on their roost.
the light helps a lot, before on the light I was getting one egg a day, now with the light I'm getting 7 or 8. I still have some pullets that have not started laying yet.

 

[Lindz]

I have a light in the coop on all day and night and all of my EE's are laying along with the rest of the crew.