[mollymuggles]

 :unsure:Hi all ,my chicks are the only ones at the allotments that are still laying.Great that we've still got eggs but i thought they had to have a break from laying? got the girls around june/july and this is their first winter. molly

[Springlands]

Molly - it is not unusual for first year hens to lay through the winter - at least one of my new hens is still laying. They will certainly take a break next winter.    In the meantime make sure that they are getting good layers pellets and enjoy the eggs. 

[mollymuggles]

Thanks for that hubby makes sure they are well fed and before putting them to bed gives them apples/carrots mashed up which they really enjoy.

[Springlands]

Just be careful not to give them too many treats and sometimes they can upset their tummies but I must admit that mine love cabbage leaves and would nearly eat my hand off to be first in line. 

[joolz68]

Same here molly,my warrens at approx 48week old are still laying,also im getting a few jumbo eggs so my older ones must still be i bought some mixed breeds in aug at apporx 9 week old and they are laying now  i thought they would at least wait till spring  .. i love hens,their amazing

[joyfull]

most hens will lay during their first 2 winters, then will start to ease up. Pure breeds will normally stop laying from their 3rd winter until mid Feb in their 3rd winter but hybrids may just ease up and only lay 2 or 3 eggs a week and then stop after that.

[BabbyAnn]

I got my 4 POL hybrids in September and not only are they laying, but productivity has shot up in the past couple of weeks - last week, each hen produced an egg every day (and one day there was even 5 eggs LOL)  Amazing ....

[tosca100]

I have serious egg envy! From six layers I am getting one good strong egg from a second year Shumen and one with a fragile end (often trodden on!) from a first year mixed breed. I am storing the Shumen egg, which are medium size, for use for OH's bacon and egg butties as they are his chickens, and any he doesn't eat go into creme caramel.

Seems ages ago that I was worrying about having too many eggs!

[Springlands]

I have serious egg envy! From six layers I am getting one good strong egg from a second year Shumen and one with a fragile end (often trodden on!) from a first year mixed breed. I am storing the Shumen egg, which are medium size, for use for OH's bacon and egg butties as they are his chickens, and any he doesn't eat go into creme caramel.

Seems ages ago that I was worrying about having too many eggs!

I remember those days when I was begging people to take some eggs off me so they would not go to waste. 

Joyful - maybe I have been unlucky but I have only ever had hens that laid in their first winter even though they always get good feed. But because our hens are quite different ages this year we are still getting a few eggs so I am not complaining. 

[joyfull]

this is my first year that I have no eggs over winter, but my hens range from 3 years through to 8, so I think next summer I shall get a few point of lay hens to keep me going next winter

[barley]

10 hens of varying ages and breed

not one blooming egg between em

had to buy some ( free range of course )

had a go at freezing some when they were plentiful have only made scrambled egg so far with them but it was absolutely fine

[joyfull]

I have quite a few frozen eggs but have had to buy organic free range ones for my fried and poached ones 

[Mrs Bee]

Touch wood.... but, have 10 chooks and 7-8 eggs a day at the moment. Replaced three of the old girls about three months ago.

[cudders]

I have six hybrids and getting 4 eggs per day.

Well happy with that. 

Fed on mix of pellets and corn plus a bit of cabbage every other day.

Cudders