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AJuff

When do pure breeds stop laying for the winter?

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My last lot of pure breds stopped laying about September time, started again in mid October and carried on all through winter till the angels wanted them :cry:

My new Beauties are all over the place... :roll: but as they're only 7mths old I'll let them freeload - they deserve it.

 

All pure breeds are different and I 'spose it depends on their age too.

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I inherited a light sussex and I hadn't thought of that. Will she stop laying soon, she's my best gal :?:

 

You old timers on here must really have a giggle at us newbies somtimes :oops:

:lol::lol: I must admit some 'mistakes' do crop up on a regular basis, but don't worry, we've all been there :lol:

She might have some time off through winter, but hopefully she will continue laying for more years than the hybrids! 8)

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Thanks for that Snowy, I don't mind her having time off but my OH is already shouting "korma" or "caserole", everytime he walks past Priscilla who has taken a small break for a mini-moult.

 

He's only teasing but it took me 2 years of nagging to get my chicks so I wish they'd cut down on the freeloading for a bit untill he's really fallen for them :roll:

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My PB girls have slowed down to an egg every other day already.

 

Pure breeds are lovely,but the no eggs over the winter thing is a pain,which is why I will always have some hybrids in my flock :P

 

 

is it the fact that the daylight houres are insufficient or do they just take a rest!!

 

maybe i could rig up somelights!!! :lol:

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My PB girls have slowed down to an egg every other day already.

 

Pure breeds are lovely,but the no eggs over the winter thing is a pain,which is why I will always have some hybrids in my flock :P

 

 

is it the fact that the daylight houres are insufficient or do they just take a rest!!

 

maybe i could rig up somelights!!! :lol:

 

It is the lack of daylight that slows them down - that's why battery farms have extra lighting through winter!

Although pure breeds will lay less than hybrids anyway. I think the rest does them good - they are less prone to health problems associated with their laying tackle than hybrids are.

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I have come around to the idea that it is unkind to expect a poor hen to lay nearly every day of the year, when in nature she would have a clutch in the spring and that would be it.

 

I have three hybrids in their third year now, and they are looking old, especially the one who must have laid 750 eggs for me.

 

The question is really whether you have the hens for eggs or as pets. I started off by wanting eggs, but now I just want hens. Pure breeds live a more natural life and don't burn themselves out like hybrids.

 

My pure breeds laid on and off throughout last winter. The secret is to have a lot of hens.

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I have come around to the idea that it is unkind to expect a poor hen to lay nearly every day of the year, when in nature she would have a clutch in the spring and that would be it.

 

I have three hybrids in their third year now, and they are looking old, especially the one who must have laid 750 eggs for me.

 

The question is really whether you have the hens for eggs or as pets. I started off by wanting eggs, but now I just want hens. Pure breeds live a more natural life and don't burn themselves out like hybrids.

 

My pure breeds laid on and off throughout last winter.The secret is to have a lot of hens

 

 

...........................................

 

 

 

Dont tempt me...no....no... three it is....three it is.....three it is

 

 

thanks for the info...i really want them as pets but am becoming fond of the thought of eggs eggs eggs

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Maybe it depends on the breed? My Frisian didn't start laying until the end of November and has laid ever since. She doesn't lay every day (usually alternate days, or two days on one day off). The Legbar started last September and kept up through the winter too - also not every day, but enough!

 

Whereas the Pepperpot has had two broody breaks of approx 4 weeks at a time!

 

Milly

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Well just to let you all know I broke the news to my OH that Lillian probably wouldn't be laying for much longer until Feb. He's obviously fallen for the chicks much harder than I thought as he just picked her up for a cuddle and said "Never mind, she's been a real trouper so far, she deserves a break" :!: I suppose I should have given him more credit.

 

He also suprised me when we were showing off our new flock to some friends yesterday and someone commented on the fact that they "only" layed "one" egg a day.

 

My OH answered quite crossly "Do you know how hard it is to lay an egg?" :evil:

 

I think I've won my battle and they are definitely his girls too now :oops::oops:

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I got 3 pure breeds last year in November. They were 28 weeks old. They laid all through Winter.

 

As they have started moulting I am getting less eggs now, but they are fundamentally pets, the eggs are a bonus.

 

The two new girls I picked up yesterday are 11 weeks old, so don't think they will lay until the Spring.

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