[nippyhen]

I've just bought my first little coop & run and am now thinking I should postpone getting birds till Spring. I never knew till I read here that they don't lay eggs in winter. Doh! Any advice on the matter would be most welcome.

[min200]

Makes no odds really.  I will be getting a few more before winter kicks in and your right they wont lay much over winter but they will still make you smile!

It will give you some time to get to know them as well if you get them now!

[vanessa.xx]

wow you are alot more patient than me i almost had the chickens before the coop 

[nippyhen]

Mmm, but I failed to mention that I have the chickens I visit already at the allotments to make me smile - I always take them chickweed to perk them up when I'm there. It was buying their eggs off the guy who keeps them that got me addicted to the taste, but he keeps them all now.
A bit of travelling though and I found a good, farm shop supplier of tasty Black Rock eggs - (£7 for 30) so I'm figuring that it would be cheaper to sit it out over Winter.
Also I'm thinking that the chances of the grass growing back when I move the run around would be better come Spring?

Oh and I was exceedingly tempted last week by an inky black chook, vanessa, pre-coop purchase, but my other half thought it looked scary

[GrannieAnnie]

If you get point of lay hybrids pretty soon, you may find they will start to lay before winter sets in!

[Hamishbrown]

A piece of advice I got last year from a local farmer was to feed the chucks porridge everyday during winter & they'll keep laying. I did as I was told & the girls didn't go off lay at all.

[joyfull]

in their first laying season they don't go off lay - only those that are either too young or older go off lay. Hybrids are more likely to lay through their first couple of winters but pure breeds ease off quicker but will live and lay for more years.

[hillfooter]

in their first laying season they don't go off lay - only those that are either too young or older go off lay. Hybrids are more likely to lay through their first couple of winters but pure breeds ease off quicker but will live and lay for more years.

What............... it's not due to the white powder I was using then!! You mean to tell me that old farmer conned me too!  You can never trust an old farmer they are all folk lore and apple pie
HF

[joyfull]

a lot of the old folk lore is still very relevant Hf (in my opinion anyway - including crushing egg shells) as for apple pie well sorry I ate it all 

[hillfooter]

a lot of the old folk lore is still very relevant Hf (in my opinion anyway - including crushing egg shells) as for apple pie well sorry I ate it all 

So it was you! I thought as much   Who's been eating all those pies?
HF

[NormandyMary]

At least if you get POL hens now and they dont lay many for you straight away, they will be well settled in and ready to pop as soon as the warmer weather starts again next year. If you wait till next April, it could be another month or so before you get any tasty eggs. Saying that, for the last 2 winters, I didnt have any reduction in egg production.

Get your girls NOW! You wont regret it.

[nippyhen]

Ok you've all got me nearly convinced already and once that coop is in place I reckon that'll be it!

[JaK]

Some breeds are good winter layers, I believe that Faverolles are one of them.

[hillfooter]

Hi Nippyyhen,

There's no one more passionate about keeping poultry than me and I'm going to go against the flow here and ignore all the hysteria from the 'get them now brigade' who obviously can't wait to tear the wrappings off their Christmas presents.  In the interests of balance there are some merits in waiting till say late March through to May.

1   Winter is the very worst time to keep chickens and as a  new keeper you will find it more difficult to cope with the challenges than if you start at the more benign and barmy time of warmer weather and lighter evenings.  Winters can be hard work particularly if your ground is prone to being wet and boggy, illness is more likely and your inexperience will be tested.  Start in spring and through summer it’s a whole lot easier so next year when winter comes you will be better prepared and able to cope particularly if you work and have a busy family life.

2   Despite the optimism of the others who can’t wait to dive in you will be unlikely to get any significant numbers of eggs over the winter period unless you go for hybrids.  If you want pure breeds at POL they are unlikely to lay now until the daylight hours start to lengthen in late Jan/Feb.

3   Next spring the choice and availability of birds will be far greater.  Why on earth restrict your choice to breeds which are supposedly good winter layers just to get a few eggs this side of the new year.  Hopefully the birds you get will be with you for several years so you should choose wisely and get the birds you like the look of without ancillary considerations.

4   If you don’t succeed in your planning you don’t plan to succeed, never is this tenet more apt than keeping animals.  If you want your birds to be an attractive addition to your garden and not a smelly eyesore you are ashamed to show people start on the right footing with a well prepared setup.  It’s all part of the joy of keeping birds the preparation and selection of your stock.  You should take your time to enjoy it.

Whatever you decide I hope you enjoy your new chosen hobby, approached in the right way it's very rewarding.
HF

[sheridan]

I got three POL hybrids this time last year and they laid me eggs all Winter, one a day each and have not stopped yet. I was happy with hybrids, as I wanted "easier" birds to start off with and hardy types that were big and dumb enough to withstand my kids. They free range in the afternoons (I have a big 250 ft garden) and are in their pen in the mornings (It's 10 foot X 10 foot). They are just, I think, coming into their first moult now.I've found them to be lovely birds, but they are not "fancy", if that is what you want. Just big brown birds!