You may ask yourself, “Do chickens lay eggs in winter months?” The answer is yes, but there are certain things to consider. Chickens lay eggs all year long. It is one of the reasons why they are such popular backyard animals.
However, hens will only sometimes lay eggs throughout the winter due to environmental changes and other factors. Let’s take a closer look at what affects egg production during the colder months and how to provide conditions that will help with winter egg production.
Do Chickens Stop Laying Eggs Altogether In The Cold Weather?
The general answer is yes; some will stop laying eggs altogether in the cold weather but will resume laying eggs come spring. If you live in milder climates, you may find that your chicken only slows down egg production for the winter.
Why Do Hens Stop Laying Eggs During The Winter Months?
The most significant factor determining whether or not your hens will lay eggs during winter months is their access to light exposure. Chickens rely on natural daylight as an indicator of when to lay eggs; when days are shorter, they produce fewer eggs than when more sunlight is available. This is due to the natural balance between hormones produced in response to light exposure.
A mature hen requires 14-16 hours of daylight to stimulate their egg-producing hormones.
How long do chickens stop laying eggs during the winter?
The time they will stop laying eggs depends on your region. In New England, we start seeing shorter daylight hours in early fall, and by late fall, egg production slows, and most hens even stop laying eggs altogether.
By Thanksgiving, we are lucky to get eggs if we don’t provide artificial lighting. Our hens start laying around March in early to late spring, and by late March or early April, they are in total egg production mode.
How to Keep Your Chickens Laying Eggs in the Winter the Correct Way
Artificial lighting can be a controversial subject for some chicken keepers. The idea that their bodies are not bred to lay year-round goes against what many consider unnatural. The fact is, many breeds have been improved and developed to lay in the winter.
If you provide artificial light in your coop, the key is to do it correctly.
First, set your chosen light source on a timer, either that or set your alarm clock, and do this manually. Light can start around 6 am and stop about 8 pm (think spring/summer daylight).
The goal is to provide your hens with 14 hours of light to stimulate their hormones to start egg production.
Place the light source safely above chickens, hang from a chain, not a rope, and never from the electrical cord itself.
Luckily there are solar lights to help save on your electricity; keep in mind some only last 4-8 hours, so choose which one works for you and have backups set on timers. The one in this link provides up to 8 hours of light with coverage of 100 square feet.
You could also keep with the traditional electric light source and follow safety instructions with the product.
About Using Artificial Lighting To Keep Chickens Laying Eggs in Winter Months
Just like with humans, artificial light does not provide the same value as actual daylight hours recommended. For our hens to get Vitamin D to help aid their calcium absorption, you need to change their feed in the winter months.
Chickens also use more body energy in the winter to keep warm, especially for laying eggs. You want to be sure your feed/grain has extra protein during these cold weather months.
Artificial lighting and artificial heat do not provide the same as mother nature; therefore, a seasonal diet is essential to having healthy hens, especially if you are looking for egg production during the winter months.
Nutrition and Feeding Your Hens During Artificial Lighting
Nutrition also plays a role in determining whether or not your chickens will lay eggs during the dog days of winter. If your hen needs to get enough calcium from its diet or other nutrients necessary for egg production (such as protein), it won’t be able to produce eggs regardless of how much light exposure and warmth it gets.
Provide Warmth for Your Chickens to Rouse Egg Laying
Temperature is also an essential factor when it comes to chickens and their ability to produce eggs during the winter. Extreme temperatures can affect egg production as well as egg quality; too cold or too hot can lead to decreased egg production.
Chickens prefer temperatures between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit to be comfortable enough to lay eggs regularly.
When living in cold climates, insulating your coop well is best. Then as needed, add in a heat source. Here are some options:
There’s the TURBRO Neighborhood Dog House Heater 200W – 400W, which mounts nicely on the wall of your coop and is safe to the touch. This heater heats up to 100 square feet.
You could pick up one of the nice radiant heat options that can mount on walls, hung overhead, or placed on the coop floor like this Chicken Coop Heater with Digital Display and 5 Timing Setting,100/200 Watts.
Then, of course, the Simple Deluxe 150W ceramic heat emitters that many chicken keepers use for brooding baby chicks are very effective at helping keep coops warmer.
What Else Would cause Chickens to Stop Laying Eggs?
There are a handful of reasons your hens have stopped laying eggs. Here are 9 of the most common reasons chickens stop laying eggs:
- Light
- Extremely Cold Temperatures
- Extremely Hot Weather
- Stress
- Threat of Predator
- Poor or Inadequate Nutrition
- Molt
- Broody Hens
- Age and Lifespan of Chicken
What Chicken Breeds Lay Eggs During The Winter Months?
Here Is A List Of 18 Cold Hardy Chicken Breeds That Lay Eggs In The Winter:
- Ameraucana hens
- Australorp hens
- Brahma hens
- Buckeye hens
- Chantecler hens
- Cochin (Buff Cochin) hens
- Delaware hens
- Dominique hens
- Easter Eggers hens
- Jersey Giant hens
- New Hampshire Red hens
- Olive Egger hens
- Orpington (Buff) hens
- Rhode Island Red hens
- Speckled Sussex hens
- Silkie hens
- Welsummer hens
- White Leghorn hens
These chickens lay eggs 12 months a year with the proper heat, light conditions, and nutrition.
Prepare Your Chicken Coop for Winter Months
An ounce of prevention will go a long way to keeping your flock healthy and safe during those harsh winter months. You’ve already committed to having chickens and invested a bit by now; just a few simple steps will go a long way to helping ensure your feathered investment can lay eggs longer.
Also, keeping your coop clean with adequate ventilation helps ensure that your flock stays healthy and productive even during those cold winter months.
Seal Up To Prevent Cold Drafts And Critters
Repair loose boards, seal up, and plug mouse holes and other potential critter entries. Many critters are looking for a protected, warmer area in the winter months, let alone for a free meal.
Some critters are pretty crafty at ways to get in, and still, others can smoosh themselves to be small enough to breach your coop. Be diligent here year-round, but especially in the winter.
Wherever you see daylight coming through, the structure will be where mother nature blows those cold winter winds. Check your entire coop.
Maintain Good Coop Ventilation
Adequate ventilation is vital to your chickens’ health and overall well-being. If a Coop is not properly ventilated, moisture from their ‘waste’ will create excess moisture, leading to colder indoor temperatures and a risk for respiratory problems. The moisture can also lead to frostbite, a severe and painful ailment for chickens.
Added Insulation
Added insulation can be wrapping the outer structure in tar paper, plastic sheeting, or stacking stray bales around the foundation, particularly on the windy sides of your coop.
Deep Litter Method; Natural Source of Warmth and Insulation
Help with indoor insulation weekly with an added layer of fresh bedding on the coop floor and in nesting boxes (plus comfort to lay eggs). You can turn the soiled litter/bedding and add new, clean straw on the top layer.
The soiled litter will naturally decompose under the fresh, dry litter, making for an excellent organic fertilizer come spring.
Observe the Temperature and Humidity
Keep track of temperature and humidity with an indoor/outdoor thermometer/ hygrometer. A good humidity level should range around 50-60%. If your humidity level reaches 70%, you could have problems. Take steps to reduce humidity levels as soon as possible.
An ideal chicken coop temperature is 40-65 degrees. However, keep in mind that measuring temperatures when chickens are inside, huddled up on their roost (at roost height) is a rare occasion. Most likely, if your chickens are eating and drinking well and do not appear lethargic, they are probably doing o.k.
A large flock will produce more heat than a small flock when indoors. If you have a small flock of only 3-6 chickens, you will want to be more aware of their heating needs daily.
Roosts Help with Warmth and a Good Night’s Rest
Roosts are beneficial during the cold weather, not only for a good night’s sleep but for warmth. Your chickens will huddle together for body warmth during cold days and nights. They also need a dry place for their feet to keep warm. Keep roosts at an appropriate height for your cold-hardy breed to maximize these added benefits. Hens rest better when they can stay warm.
Providing the Essentials Indoors
The essentials are shelter, food, and water. Keep feed fresh and full. Waterers tend to freeze in the winter; those will need to be changed throughout the day a couple to few times. You could invest in a heated waterer; be sure your power supply is safe and grounded.
Provide a Protected Outdoor Space
Help prevent wind and snow from getting in the run with plastic sheeting tacked up over hardware cloth and chickenwire coops run areas. Place the sheeting on the lower half – two-thirds leaving the top open for ventilation and fresh air.
Have a sturdy ‘lean-to’ type outdoor shelter. An overhead tarp or plastic sheeting is no match for a heavy snow cover.
Shovel run area so your flock has a safe path to the outdoors.
Free Range Flocks In the Harsh Winter Months
Many chickens enjoy a winter’s day walk to explore, stretch their legs and get out of the house. They won’t find much in terms of foraging; tossing some scratch, cracked corn, sunflower seeds, or other treats can encourage exercise.
Chickens aren’t bothered by the snow; it’s the falling snow that bothers their feathers. Snow-covered feathers can mean a cold chicken. If you have a free-range flock, let them roam as usual as long as they have easy access to return inside.
Benefit: The extra daylight, fresh air, and exercise may encourage egg laying with your winter chickens.
Other Care For Your Flock During The Cold Winter Months
As with any pets, there’s always some added comfort we can provide to our chickens during the winter weather.
Watch Out For Frostbite
Frostbite can be excruciating and deadly in chickens. Keeping coop humidity on the lower recommended side and adding a teensy amount of petroleum jelly to combs above their heads will help a great deal. Another favorite that’s said to be long-lasting and effective not just with your chickens but with other family pets is Musher’s Secret Dog Paw Wax.
Cold Weather Treats
Don’t kid yourself; chickens enjoy a warm treat or meal just like you do. You can set aside leftovers or cook something to help warm their bodies up while showing them how much you appreciate those fresh eggs throughout the year.
Serve these up in a dog bowl-style container, and your chickens will sing your praises.
- Pot of Oatmeal – add some fruit, sunflower seeds, and even grit.
- Mashed or smashed carrots, potatoes, yams, etc.
- Pot of cooked pasta, barley, or other grains
- Cooked beans
Conclusion:
Chickens can lay eggs all year round, though their productivity may decrease during colder months due to a lack of daylight and lower temperatures. To keep your hens stay warm and healthy and happy throughout the colder weather that winter brings, providing them with nutritious feed high in protein and oyster shell extra calcium for strong eggshells is essential. You now know a bit about preparing your chicken coop for optimal conditions, all these things will help your cold-hardy hens laying eggs.
With some extra TLC from their backyard chicken keepers and a few simple adjustments, your hens can continue laying eggs even during those long winter months and continue providing your family with fresh eggs all year.
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