winter and laying hens

[ninedeer]

was curious if during the winter you place a light in the coop on a timer to keep the girls laying?What other things do you do for the Hens to help them get through the colder winter months?

[mitrapline]

I used a heat lamp in the coop but, the hens still slow down in the winter anyway. I also always made sure that their nest boxes had plenty of straw to help insulate them......although most of the time my birds would end up scratching the straw out of the boxes and onto the floor. I never understood that . Anyway, I always tried to protect them from the cold as much as possible but, I also think back and wonder how they kept them warm a hundred years ago. They sure didn't have heat lamps then. I think if you give them a good shelter that isn't vulnerable to the wind, snow, and ice that they'll be fine. Just don't expect every hen to lay an egg every day.

[nytrapper23]

I put a light on a timer it comes on at 5 am goes out just after daylight,then when natural darkness sets in they can still go in to roost.they do slow down a little but still lay pretty good.mine go in and out all winter , as long as they can get out of the wind.I only close them in if it gets real nasty.

[countryboy74]

lights are good i also feed them hot food. i mix cornmeal,black pepper,red pepper and milk to make it stick together. it heats them up and they will lay well for you. i do this several times a month.

[ninedeer]

interesting country boy how much of each ingredient do you mix?

[trapnys626]

Winter time and the shorter days are chickens natural break from laying. If you put a light on them you will get more eggs but the birds will burn out with the laying a year or two sooner.ours will lay good till they are five or six years old without the light. The best we have done with the light is three and a half. As far as wintering 10 degrees or below they stay locked inside otherwise the door is open and they choose what they want. One thing I ha e found is that you want a large flat perch ,I use 2by2 s it let's they squat down over their feet and keep them warm with their feathers.

[countryboy74]

For one Hen i use 1 cup corn meal 1/4 cup milk. you want it thick but sticking together. then just cover with pepper. if you have pepper juice use it in place of milk.

[trappertom]

We put a light with a timer that gives the girls 12-14 hrs of light a day, it's only on 2-5 hrs a day. Our coop is a 8x10 shed on a hay wagon, nice and portable. I don't worry too much about the cold, they're tough birds. As long as you can keep the dry and out of the wind they're fine.