It is that time of year where your hens, unless they are in their first year of living, are not laying. I get an egg every once in a while but it is definitely not near as much as we were getting. There are a lot of people that like to make their chickens lay but we don’t and I am going to explain why down below.
Reasons why they don’t lay in the winter
The reason that chickens do not lay through the winter is because there is not enough light outside. Chickens need at least 12 hours of daylight to produce an egg. If you really wanted your chickens to lay then you can add artificial light to there coop, but I don’t recommend doing that. Another reason why they might stop laying, even in the fall, is that they are molting. When chickens molt they are losing their feathers to grow new ones, and that takes a lot of their energy. So if we get an egg while they are molting I consider that a bonus!
Reason why we don’t make them lay
We chose to not make our hens lay through the winter. This is because we believe that God has created them to have a natural break from producing eggs, since they lay most of the year. Another reason why it is not good for them to lay through the winter is because it can be very hard on their bodies, this will cause them to have more health issues and more problems in general. Plus they work their tails off in the spring, summer, and fall laying about 4-6 times a week! So I believe that you should give them a break and by doing so you will see the rewards in the other seasons.
So that is why I don’t make them lay. If you choose to make your hens lay through the winter then that is your choice, you just might have more problems with your flock.
Other articles that you may like:
- Reasons why your hens may not be laying
- A guide to raising chicks week by week!
- The best chicken breeds that lay green eggs
The 1912 Homestead 