Ever wonder why your chicken’s egg production decreases in the wintertime? Here’s why your chickens stop laying, and what you can do about it to make sure you always have a basket full of chicken eggs.

Do chickens slow egg production in winter?

Chicken eggs are such a wonderful source of protein and you can have an endless supply for a fraction of the store cost by keeping your own chickens. Chicken eggs come in a variety of colors, and can be frozen to be cooked later!

One of the most asked questions we get is how we have baskets full of eggs throughout the wintertime. Many are surprised to see just how many chicken eggs we are able to gather, even in the cold, and we will tell you why.

During the winter months, a reduction in eggs is something you can expect from your hens. A chicken on average needs 12-14 hours per day of light for maximum laying efficiency. So, shorter days and less sunlight mean that your girls’ production levels go down. Sometimes they stop laying altogether. What’s a hungry chicken owner to do? Eat fewer chicken eggs? That’s not an option around here, so we needed to find a solution.

What causes chicken eggs to be different colors?

When you buy chicken eggs in the store, they will typically be white. You may be surprised to learn that they are usually bleached white, and do not always come out perfectly white. In fact, chicken eggs can come out brown, green, blue, or pink! They truly are the cutest little things.

Chicken eggs do not require bleaching in order to be edible, in fact, they are much healthier just as they come rather than trying to alter the color to appear cleaner. The color of the chicken eggs will depend on the genetics of the chicken. Different breeds of chickens will produce different colored eggs, but you can usually tell which chicken will lay what color based on what breed you decide to raise.

In addition to different colors, if you see speckles on your chicken eggs, these are nothing to worry about. These are quite simply just calcium deposits and will have no effect on the egg inside of the shell. You may even be like me and want to have easter egg-looking chicken eggs, so you may get a few different breeds of chickens to fulfill this dream every morning!

How can I increase egg production in winter?

Let’s get right down to it. What can you do to keep a steady supply of chicken eggs for your homestead during the winter? The short answer is heat and light. Supplemental lighting for chickens will almost certainly increase egg production through the winter! As with anything, there are many opinions on both sides of the chicken coop light debate. That is what we chose to do here at Thermaland Oaks Homestead.

Pros:

• Increased chicken egg production. What more can I say? The main reason to keep laying hens is to get eggs. If your chickens stopped laying eggs, then they are basically freeloaders.
• More eggs = more food and/or more money (if you sell your chicken eggs). This reasoning alone is enough for a lot of people.

Cons:

• Chicken coop lights are not natural. Chickens are naturally meant to slow down on egg production in the winter. They are often coming off a molt and need to replenish their bodies and calcium stores. This is why quality food for your chicken & turkeys is a must.

Oval Basket | Heat Lamp | Heat Bulb | Chandelier | Timer | Round Basket | Egg Cartons | Rectangle Baskets

We set up the chicken coop with a timer and he has set it so that our chandelier light in the coop goes on as dusk falls. I have linked all of our favorite products above if you are interested. This light stays on from dusk till 8 pm to mimic more summer hours of daylight. This helps with chicken egg production!! Let me know if this helps your egg production in the winter time friends.

Hugs,

Christina & Trevor