Ohio valley chickens not laying eggs.

[steev]

They text real slow, though; it's all "hunt and peck".

[reed]

Sign in the local grocery apologizing for 30% increase in price of eggs.

[jocelyn]

There is recessive winter laying, but I bet feed store chicks don't have it.
If many folks had feed store layer chicks, they would be expected to have artificial light in winter, so no need to breed in the winter laying. Every few years here, I hatch in November or December, from whoever is still laying...solves the no eggs issue here.
The hens hatched two chicks last Nov, both males, and I know which they are, so next year I'll pen one with some hens and hatch just a few.

[steev]

Am I wrong to think that winter hens are not layers, but soup?

[reed]

Dec 23, 2017 1:29:55 GMT -5 steev said:

Am I wrong to think that winter hens are not layers, but soup?

Sounds like a plan to me. I only have a dozen or so chickens, they are extremely mixed up breed wise and I let them raise themselves. In summer I sell eggs. I don't heat or light the coop so in winter I'm used to an occasional day or two with no eggs but usually get at least a couple. This is the first time in many years we've had to buy eggs. I'm strongly considering switching to ducks. 

[reed]

Dec 4, 2017 13:15:30 GMT -5 jocelyn said:

Every few years here, I hatch in November or December, from whoever is still laying...solves the no eggs issue here.

That sounds like an extremely good approach, never though of it. Although I guess you can't just stick some eggs under a chicken at that time of year. 

[jocelyn]

Ah, yes, you can. We had a chick hatch on the 12th or 13th. I noticed it on the 13th and it had its feet under it so was probably a day old already.
The hen will need a bucket laid in its side to make her nest in, something to hold the heat down for the two of them(or 3 or 4 of them). I have been trying the keep the hatch rate down a bit, so steal eggs and only let the hens keep a few. I don't sell chicks anymore, grin.

[jocelyn]

I forgot to add that the eggs you hatch this time of year need to come from hens laying without supplimental light. Hens getting artificial light will lay without having the short day laying trait. Any hen will lay with about 14 hours of light. She won't carry the recessive winterlaying if she lays with added light but not under natural day length. The male needs to carry it too, as if he's from a hen without, he can't pass it to his daughters....and it's recessive. It has to be in both sides of the house.

[Day]

I've never heard of the recessive winter laying gene - that's pretty interesting! Are there any commonly know breeds that carry the double recessive, or is it a more of a uncultivated, wild chance, get lucky/homegrown breeding gene combination?

[jocelyn]

Tropical breeds are more day neutral. Think any of the south american fowls, quetros, araucanas, touzos, colloncas, even some of the silkie crosses from southern china.

It used to be pretty common in dual purpose stocks, which probably had some bramha or java or indian game in them. It seems to be still there in sumatras. Some lines of modern game have it, probably from indian game long ago. Raps Nuis have it. That's all i can think of right now. it's hit and miss now a days, as folks have bred in other breeds to get new colours....and it's recessive. Stay away from hybrid modern industrial stocks, as they have been selected under 28 hour controlled day time conditions....so it would be pure accident if they had it.........many don't. Oh, oh...speckled sussex might still have it, and light sussex....and any mutt flock kept under natural day length. Where you run into trouble is if the hen lays under short days and you can't get a rooster from a short day hen....all tthe chicks only get one copy of short day laying, and that's not enough.

[jocelyn]

Orpingtons, but maybe Jubilee are better........well start a mutt flock and don't turn lights on after dark and then wait to see what you get.

[Day]

Very interesting, and the closer to the equator breeds laying all year makes perfect sense. I have raised Araucanas, Rhode Island Reds and Barred rocks when I was a child, but being younger I was much more interested in trying to 'train' them and carrying them all over the place than observing their egg laying habits xD I very much intend to get back into chickens in the next few years however, so this information is very useful~

[reed]

Black Orpington and Speckled Sussix are both in the make up of my chickens. As well as Astrolorp, Rhode Island Red, Delwware and a bunch of others. My current rooster is large and mostly black. I'm gonna do some research on the others mentioned.

I'v never used an incubator but I know a lady who does. I'm thinking I might give her a call and if she is willing I'll call everyone I know that has chickens and collect up as many as possible winter laid eggs. Start from there. Still not convinced it is the only issue since this has never happened before but it couldn't hurt.

My rooster was injured in a fight with a possum or something a while back, lost his tail and lots of feathers around his head. He's otherwise since recovered but he can just barely crow. Could lack of a predawn wake up call influence laying? Seems unlikely but it is really the only thing different that I know of.

[jocelyn]

If you are collecting winter eggs, ask if folks have any lights on in the coop.
If they do, ask someone else for eggs. The coop will need to be insulated too, so the hens are not putting ALL of their feed into staying warm. Hens may not put enough in the shells for a good hatch rate if the coop is cold.
Your rooster may have made the hens feel safe. Reproduction is the first thing to go, under predator threat.