Winter laying question :)

[mom22alcorns]

Hey all! I have a question--if your pullets reach laying age during the winter---like in January---will they still lay if they are ready to or since it is winter and darker, etc, will they pretty much wait until spring? Sorry if this is a silly question!

 

[StarLover21]

Depends...I'm in the exact same situation as you, my girls are Black Stars and 13 weeks. What breed are they?

 

[mom22alcorns]

I have silver laced wyandottes and barred rocks.

They are 16 weeks old now.

 

[StarLover21]

Cool! Yeah, mine are a little younger, but supposed to lay early. Hopefully we'll both get some eggs this january! I know Barred Rocks are supposed to be pretty good!
Oh, actually mine are fourteen weeks, sorry!

 

[nuttyredhead]

I have 15 girls 27 weeks old. I got my first egg at 21 weeks old (Oct 23) Now I average anywhere between 6 - 11 a day. I do wonder if it will slow down when it gets really cold here... I didnt think they would be laying this good in december!!! There is hope for your girls!!!! (oh and 2 of them are barred rocks!).

 

[mom22alcorns]

Well I plan to hope and pray and cross my fingers

because I am just so excited to get some eggs from my gals. If I have to wait until spring I just might POP from anticipation...

Hopefully the cold weather won't delay them from their natural course and I will have a few eggs this winter..

 

[Fierlin1182]

Our second batch reached egg-laying age in early spring, when it was still quite cold. Although it's true that it never really gets cold in Australia, so they started laying pretty much on time.

Good luck!

P.S. If it helps, my RSLs lay all the way through winter, they don't stop just because the days get shorter. I'm not sure about your breeds though, I've never owned them.

 

[mnabity]

I can't speak for your breeds but from what I've read and experienced it is common for them to take a little longer to lay if they mature in winter. I have 8 EEs 3 Black Australorps 3 Silkies and 2 Frizzled Bantams all between 24-26 weeks and I haven't seen an egg yet. My girls are squatting, hanging out in the nest boxes, their combs have gotten redder and I even caught one singing the egg song yesterday so hopefully any day now.

I hope yours lay ontime but if they are late just take comfort knowing you are not alone and it will happen.

 

[DebbieDee]

Yes any say now. My Pepper is really really red now and her comb has really grown...Any day now. She is 26 weeks old. She is a Barred Rock. My Golden will probably be last.She is also 26 weeks old...

...

 

[ChickenDavid123]

I have a friend that grew up on a farm with lots of chickens. I was complaining one day this summer about my girls not laying, he told me to place a stone egg in the boxes. I know it sounds silly but the day after I placed the stone egg we had an egg, next day three and so on all summer with an average of 9 a day from 11 girls. I removed the stone eggs five days after they started laying. We got our girls in March of this year, we think they were 2 weeks old when we got them. We average 6 a day now that its winter in Michigan.