My pullets free range during the day, and sleep in a small coop at night with 3 nesting boxes in it (I have 10 pullets and 1 cockerel). I bought them as pre-point of lay in September, not expecting any eggs until Spring, as they dont have any artificial light in their coop (I live in UK, its winter, so they get only about 6-7 hours daylight per day). Despite this, they all started gradually laying, and now I am getting on average 7 eggs per day. How come they started (and continue) laying despite so few hours daylight? Have I just been lucky? Or will they stop sometime? I'm not complaining, its great to have the eggs, I just read about the need for artificial light in the coop, but my girls seem to manage fine without it!

Catherine, The time of year your pullets were hatched may determine when they will lay--with or without additional lighting. Here in the U.S. "point of lay" pullets can be obtained in May, June and July. These pullets will usually lay until the days get short, then sort of rest--only a few eggs now and then until spring when days are again longer. The pullets that are maturing in the fall, if they begin to lay, will likely continue for a number of months. Then just when the days are getting longer and you expect them to be productive, they may stop and moult. Again, this depends upon the breed. Production birds may continue to lay almost up to their next autumn! You are doing things right. Other hens would not do so well without some artificial light. CJR

My three year old sex links and my new hamp hen lay most of the year. I ofer no artificial light and they continue to lay all year slowing durring moult and the hot weather I get durring the Summer. I would guess you are lucky to get hens that lay in the winter but I may be wrong because they are so young.

YoYo

I have 23 hens and it's 30 degrees outside right now. I still get at least a dozen eggs a day. I don't use any artificial light at all. My coop does have a window that lets in natural light, but that's it.

alot depends on what type of chicken you have. i have some that stop laying once it's down around 35 deg. and i have some that lay no matter what the temp. is.

Thanks for all your help. Some of my girls are Black Rock,others Rhode Island crosses. Anyway, they all seem happy enough laying, so that's good enough for me!