Wednesday, September 22nd marks the fall equinox. Shortening daylight is especially more noticeable this time of year. One of the most common questions we get here at the Snohomish and Monroe Co-Op is, “Why are my chickens laying fewer eggs?” The answer can be simple: There just aren’t enough hours in the day. Chickens are photosensitive. This means that they react to light, specifically white light. Most chickens, especially older hens, require twelve to fourteen hours of daylight to stimulate egg production. There are a few types of chickens that tend to keep laying eggs throughout the winter like Australorp, Buckeye, Delaware, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, and Wyandotte. Younger hens also tend to keep laying through the darker days of the year. Most hens, though, will require supplemental light to keep up egg production through the shorter autumn and winter days.
Many chicken keepers give their hens a rest for the winter, choosing not to add artificial lights. There are a few benefits to this practice: eggshells tend to be stronger in the spring, and hens’ bodies have a chance to recover from daily laying demands. Surplus spring and summer eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for many months to make sure you have at least some eggs through the wintertime when egg production levels are low.
If you decide to supplement your hens with light to keep up production during the shorter days, choose a white light. Strings of Christmas lights, and white LEDs are great choices. A heat bulb is not necessary, and not worth the risk of fire. The idea is to supply more light, not heat, for your hens. Put your lights on a timer so that they turn on for a few hours before dawn, and a few hours at dusk. You can begin supplementing light around the autumn equinox, when natural daylight lasts for twelve hours. The supplemental light should lengthen daylight hours inside the coop to up to fourteen hours.
With the added demands of winter laying, your hens will benefit from a higher protein chicken food. Available at the Snohomish and Monroe Co-Op, our house-brand Snoco Layer Pellets from Conway, along with a few handfuls of Cluckin’ Good Grubs from Scratch and Peck will help keep your girls supplied with that extra protein that they would normally forage from insects during the spring and summer. Our house-brand Snoco Layer Pellets provide a generous 17.5% protein content, compared to other formulas that only have a 16% protein. You could also switch to a chick-grower ration to provide that extra boost of protein. Just make sure you supply oyster shells on the side to help keep eggshells strong.
If you’re going to switch your hens to a grower feed for added protein, you might also consider raising a batch of chicks during the fall and winter. The Monroe Co-Op is receiving one last round of chicks this Friday, September 24th. Your chicks will spend the short fall and winter days growing, when egg production would naturally be low. Once Spring comes around and days lengthen, they’ll be old enough to start laying eggs right away.
Visit us here at the Snohomish and Monroe Co-Op. We have everything you need to support your flock of chickens throughout the year.
We’ll see you at the Co-Op!
