My 38 hens are producing roughly 20 eggs a day. Not bad, especially considering 16 of them are on their third winter of production. I do suspect a good percentage of the eggs come from the pullets we got this spring. But I also have a few tricks up my sleeve to ensure egg production through the winter.
The most important factor is light. Whether from an incandescent bulb or sunlight, hens need 14 to 16 hours of light per day to stimulate their pineal glands, which control the egg-laying cycle. A simple 60-watt bulb on a timer set to come on at 5 am and go off at 7 pm can increase egg production in winter dramatically.
Photo © Lauren Ware
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