A new journey into homesteading "pic heavy"

[baymule]

Short days. Day length affects laying. In previous years I have run an extension cord and timer to the coop after they finished their molt. I suspect that is to blame for my disappointment in the Australorp flock, but they are near an electrical outlet.

We have rain scheduled for the next few days, so won't get much done outside, but I have plans on moving things around and will have my main coop up close to an electrical plug.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

@baymule I've had Australorps before and they were awesome! Hopefully yours will pick up the laying and redeem themselves.

 

[Chic Rustler]

Short days. Day length affects laying. In previous years I have run an extension cord and timer to the coop after they finished their molt. I suspect that is to blame for my disappointment in the Australorp flock, but they are near an electrical outlet.

We have rain scheduled for the next few days, so won't get much done outside, but I have plans on moving things around and will have my main coop up close to an electrical plug.

I could run a light to the coop but im not. If they just want some time off ill let em have it. Natural cycle and all....ya know?

 

[baymule]

I could run a light to the coop but im not. If they just want some time off ill let em have it. Natural cycle and all....ya know?

Once they have gone through molt, you can put a light on them. I let mine have that molt time and a little time off, but they will wait until day length increases and that can be months away.

@baymule I've had Australorps before and they were awesome! Hopefully yours will pick up the laying and redeem themselves.

I am real disappointed in these. All I have ever heard was good things about Australorps and I got duds.

 

[Mini Horses]

I would rather let them have their natural cycle. I've heard that they "burn out" if they're encouraged to lay all year

Me too. For those hens who are always subject to lights do have shorter life spans. Most are also caged, never seeing more than bars, feed & water, most with 23 hr lights on. Mine free range all year, heated water in winter, 24/7 food & shelter, coop open all day, scavenge on bugs, food scraps or whatever and have a pretty good life! They go to bed & I close the coop.

But, I'm not feeling that this push is much more than a "kick into gear" effort because I am letting them finish molt, then will light in AM to wake them up & encourage them to get back into laying. Mine have always done ok in winter but, they do tend to take a while to go from stop molt to start lay. An extended "vacay" . Probably only use it 2 months. Hey, I get up with a flash light to feed before going to work -- they can do a little more as well. Generally you keep eggs by adding new hens to start lay in Fall, and I do but, did not get enough pullets from sets and didn't buy more. So, this year they will need to help "with chores".

 

[Chic Rustler]

Well they havent started laying again. Coop is clean as a whistle with fresh new bedding. Must be preditors.

The leghorns just came into lay. And the ee havent bothered to start yet. Im gonna give them a week and add some scratch to the diet and maybe some oyster shell.


Heck maybe they are peaved because they ran out of bugs in the garden?

 

[Chic Rustler]

Maybe its just shorter days. But i seem to remember last year that it didnt effect the young ones as much?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Im gonna give them a week and add some scratch to the diet and maybe some oyster shell.

Are they getting a layer type feed too? Sometimes bumping up the protein a bit can help...

 

[Chic Rustler]

17% lay pellets

 

[NH Homesteader]

I had EE's briefly (until they started feather picking my other birds). They didn't lay the first year when all my others started. I think they start later. @Hinotori said they often need higher protein feed also.