Chickens Laying Yet ??

_Brian wrote: »

Our chickens haven't started back laying yet.. they would have come back last week last spring..

We don't use winter lighting to keep them laying as they're as much pets as anything..

Just wondering if anyone else's chickens are as late back as ours..

None out of ours yet either

baconsarnie wrote: »

My neighbors have two hens & I occasionally "hen sit" for them when they're away

Was looking after the hens 2 weeks ago & both were laying. On & off, one day one egg between them, one day nowt & one day one each

Could be the warm and cold weather. Starting and stopping them laying

aonb wrote: »

Mine didnt stop laying They are getting older now but I get 1 egg every 2 days from each. They are small little hybrids that I get from a fellow who sells at every mart in the country I think, and any hens Ive ever had from him have layed all through winter with no stopping. Super little hybrids...

Its not so much the cold that would cause a hen to stop laying in winter, as the daylight hours. A hen needs 7+ hours DAYLIGHT a day to facilitate egg production

Mine are awkward so

When you get a cold spell in the summer or that I notice production slowing

_Brian wrote: »

Thankfully the laying hen indoors is more regular or Christmas would be a much quieter affair :cool::cool:




I'd get a beating if she saw that comment... and not in the 50 shades of gray sort of beating either :o

Was nice knowing ya

A lot depends on the breed of hen. Pure breeds will take a break from laying during the winter months, as nature intended, due to less daylight hours as anob said. Hybrids on the other hand are genetically bred to produce an egg a day for the first and most of their second year. However they will "lay out" and become "spent" faster than the pure breeds.

Mites and internal worms can also reduce and stop egg production. Pick up your hens from time to time and check under their wings and around their vent for signs of mites. Also it is a good idea to check their coop and roosts at night time (with a flash light) for red mite.

Only two hens at the moment and getting 1.5 E/D. However the geese have just started laying. Looking forward to seeing a flock of them around the place shortly. I think there are probably two laying in the one nest. How should I segregate when they start to sit?

Future Farmer wrote: »

5 Hens laying out of 5.

Free range - only in run at night.

No cockerel with them.

What's people's opinion on roosters running with hens. I prefer to have one around

Mothers 3 hens have cut down to two eggs a day during the winter, but sometimes lay 3 a day depending on how cold it is.

Have Thirty five hens got 22 eggs today was down to 10 up to about two weeks ago and it has gradually started to rise and will continue to do so I hope over the next couple of weeks.