Will they stop laying?

[Corris]

My hens were bought, oh blimey, about 8 weeks ago I should think now at 19 weeks. Finally, yesterday the last one came into lay (well DONE Barry).

So, an increase for yesterday and today of one egg and now we are on six eggs a day.

We have had five eggs every day for the last 5 weeks or so. And I actually couldn't face eating eggs in any form at all last week for a few days, we definitely didn't need any more chickens than we have!

Will they stop for winter? Or as they have only just started will they just keep going now do you think?

[Glutton4...]

They may lay all winter, especially if they are hybrids and have only just started.

[Corris]

yippee!

They are crosses I think - speckledy's and blueberry's and redrocks........ although I could be a bit flaky on names. Two of each and they aren't pure anythings, they all look different from each other even their partners in crime.

How exciting. I thought we'd bought them too late and may not get eggs until Easter at one point, but now Barry has caught up with his sisters we are firing on six. And they don't take a day off either - I thought they had one day off a week but apparently not...

[chris]

My hybrids bought in the October laid right the way through the harsh winter- and are still in full lay this year

[SarrissUK]

I have three chickens and when it got cold in November, they all stopped laying. To my great delight they've started laying again in the last couple of days though, so hopefully they will carry on now!

[SMS6]

My 3 original chickens are all back in lay now and we are just waiting for our new one to join them

[SMS6]

yippee!

They are crosses I think - speckledy's and blueberry's and redrocks........ although I could be a bit flaky on names. Two of each and they aren't pure anythings, they all look different from each other even their partners in crime.

How exciting. I thought we'd bought them too late and may not get eggs until Easter at one point, but now Barry has caught up with his sisters we are firing on six. And they don't take a day off either - I thought they had one day off a week but apparently not...

shouldn't that be Barry has caught up with her sisters???

[Corris]

I guess so - but with names like Barry and Dave we mix genders in all our conversations.... it doesn't seem to bother them any

And the eggs are getting bigger as they get older - is that normal?

[chris]

Yup !

They'll then settle on their normal size shortly after. You'll probably end up with a few double yolkers along the way!

I had the start of a triple yolker, it was *huge*.. two normal yolks, and then a smaller yolk

[RichmondHens]

And the eggs are getting bigger as they get older - is that normal?

Perfectly normal, and desirable. Hens lay the most eggs in their first season, and slightly fewer the second season but the eggs will be larger. Subsequent seasons can still produce a good number of eggs and if you are lucky the eggs may be even bigger than the second season. I had an old buff sussex (now departed) who laid monster eggs from her second season onwards - we called them Barbie bombs (Barbie being her name).

From a breeding point of view it is also desirable to use eggs from hens in their second season as a larger egg will produce a larger chick, which obviously has an advantage from the start.