Could my hens have started laying a month earlier in the "spring" than I expected? Or Spring in December!!!

[saysfaa]

Um. Yes. At least one has.

What up with this?

I expected them to start laying again about the end of January. If not later because they are older. This is still December.

Possibly, the light is enough different. I'm still not supplementing with artificial light but I have been opening the big west door fairly often. That probably gives them some degree of longer day.

Possibly, their molting was different because I fed them more protein during their molt. I gave them meat regularly in addition to their commercial feed. I also then switched to pelleted duck feed for the winter. The duck feed has about 4% more protein than the chick feed they had nearly all their lives.

Possibly, it is just variation.

What do you think?

 

[Debbie292d]

I see you're in the upper Midwest, as am I. Mine lay half as much all through the winter, normally, but in the past week it sure picked up. I am thinking it's the weather as there has maybe been two days all year where they couldn't get to the grass. The solstice (middle of winter) was a little over a week ago, so the days are actually getting longer now.

Your extra protein I'm sure is at least helping with the molting but I personally do not believe it would be making a change in their laying frequency.

 

[RojoMarz]

I've had a pullet and two other hens laying, while others stopped after their molt.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Day length is slowly starting to lengthen again. Some birds might be more sensitive to it than others. But don't be surprised that a bird(s) that started up laying already ends up stopping again, or laying erratically until days are much longer.

 

[aart]

The solstice (middle of winter)

Solstice is actually called the first day of winter.

 

[wrathsfarm]

A few of my hens have started laying again but it's sporadic at best. One of my Marans laid 4 days straight but now haven't seen an egg from her in over a week now. It's all good, tho. I won't need their eggs till spring hatch.
I do have 7 pullets also, so I'm getting plenty of eggs per day from them.

Kind of on this same topic I've been watching what time their coming in to the coop to get settled. I don't go by the minute but I have noticed 2 weeks ago it was around 430 ish and last night it was pushing 5. The cold and cloudy/overcast days here in Mi. seems to push them in a little earlier, tho. Our mild winter has sure been nice for them, hope it continues.

 

[Sally PB]

One of my 3.5 yo hens is laying. Another looks like she could any day, based on comb color and the fact that she's staring at the nestbox with an expression like, "I know there's something about that place... hmmmm...."

My 5 pullets are all laying. They were hatched mid-May.

 

[wrathsfarm]

One of my 3.5 yo hens is laying. Another looks like she could any day, based on comb color and the fact that she's staring at the nestbox with an expression like, "I know there's something about that place... hmmmm...."

My 5 pullets are all laying. They were hatched mid-May.

I had 2 hens doing that before finally dropping eggs. 1 would actually go in, start nesting, then come back out.
"Nope, false alarm. But maybe next hour"

 

[Erinnlyn]

I'm having a 3 year old hen do that this year. She lays blue eggs, so when I found a stash of 3 surprise blue eggs, I thought somehow my young Ameraucana started laying, but nope they were definitely coming from the 3-year-old Easter egger. She only laid about 7 around the middle of December. Now she's stopped again. I assume she'll pick back up in a few weeks when we've gained a little more daylight time. I am in mid-Missouri. I'm not sure why she decided to lay just a few eggs, but oh well! They were a welcomed sight. I guess their egg laying can be sporadic during winter.

 

[Debbie292d]

Solstice is actually called the first day of winter.

My bad semantics. It's the day the sun starts staying out longer so it's like the pinnacle of when length of days goes the other way, so gives us hope. I'll quit wording it like I did. Thanks!