Single hen

[Maria A]

Morning 

I am a new chicken owner, l have three l got when they were 10 weeks old in September I was told and l read up on this Chickens stop laying in Winter as they need all their energy to help them cope with the cold months, everyday from November l get one to two eggs a day and this morning I found three, has anyone else experienced winter eggs?  Should l be concerned they are not getting ready for winter and conserving their energy to keeping warm.

many thanks 

[Beantree]

It's normal for pullets (hens in their first year) to lay through Winter, although they will slow down with less daylight and cold weather and could stop altogether for a few weeks. Being young they are full of energy, so the cold won't affect them so much. The second year they will moult and stop laying, using their energy for new feathers. Depending on when in the year they moult, they may start laying again before stopping over Winter, but usually they moult late and so don't lay again until early Spring. They take a longer break every year, taking longer to produce new feathers and feeling the cold more as well. 

We have 6 pullets and until last week we were getting 5 or 6 eggs a day. We've had a cold spell and it's dropped to three or four, which is as I would expect. Next year we'll have to buy eggs over Winter if we want them because we haven't found any way to store the excess when we get too many in Summer.

Enjoy your eggs Maria. Poached on buttered toast is my favourite.

[Luvachicken]

4 hours ago, Beantree said:

Next year we'll have to buy eggs over Winter if we want them because we haven't found any way to store the excess when we get too many in Summer.

I think you can mix the eggs with a little salt or sugar depending if you are making a sweet or savoury recipe and put them in the freezer.

I don't know how long you can keep them frozen for but might save you buying some over the winter.

[mullethunter]

My pullet started to lay on the 1st December, laid 4 eggs that week, and has now stopped again 🙄

[Beantree]

We're not far off December 21st which is the shortest day Mullethunter. I'd expect her to start laying again before the 10th January, so approximately the same number of days after the shortest day as she stopped before it. Please let me know if I was right.

[soapdragon]

I guess it also depends on the temperatures too. It has been quite mild so maybe, once the really cold weather sets in, they will stop and conserve their energy.

[Patricia W]

Dilly has decided to lay again.  She’ll probably decide to stop again soon.  She’s a law unto herself that one.   In the heady days when I had 17 chickens laying 13 eggs a day, I froze a batch. Separated yolks and white.  Found s batch of the whites when I defrosted the freezer at the start of the first lockdown.   Must be 4 years old.  If not older ( no I didn’t label the box).   They made fantastic meringues!  

As I only have one ( spasmodically) laying hen, I don’t think I’ll have this problem again..... 

[mullethunter]

Also Maria A if they are hybrids they don’t tend to stop over winter anyway.

[Luvachicken]

22 hours ago, Patricia W said:

As I only have one ( spasmodically) laying hen, I don’t think I’ll have this problem again..... 

I don't think I've ever had that problem 

I think I only got about 15 eggs last year.