Corky again, I have leghorn hens in with my silkey chickens. they get along just fine now but I am going to let my silkies hatch their own chicks as soon as I can move the leghorns to the barn coop and still keep them laying. They are in the coop near the house and have a light on a timer so they will lay all winter. I have ten leghorn hens and are now getting ten eggs a day. They can slow down a little if they want but I don't want them to stop laying and we have no electric in the barn. I am told silkies will not hurt each others young. Not even the roosters will harm them. They don't roost and they all sleep in a huddle like quail.

-- Corky Wolf (corkywolf@hotmail.net), February 07, 2002

Answers

I don't have an answer to your light question, but we had a silkey rooster raise peeps one time! He made a great mom, and was very protective of his babies.

-- JO in PA (farmerjo02@yahoo.com), February 07, 2002.

Leaving the light on during winter serves to simulate daylight hours and keep egg production up. When the hours of daylight increase beyond 14 hours, you can turn the light off and the eggs will keep coming. I've heard some folks say 12 hours of daylight is enough. Fourteen is what I read in a poultry book. I don't use artificial light and some of my younger birds lay all winter long.

-- Dwight (summit1762@aol.com), February 07, 2002.

Given that chickens are such creatures of habit, you can almost bet on them slowing down their egg laying when you move them. They don't like changes to their feed, surroundings or housing.

How long will this slow down last, until they feel comfortable with their new surroundings. So while the light time change will affect their laying habits to some degree, the move, I feel, will be more important on their egg laying frequency. So, just plan for it and adjust your plans accordingly.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), February 07, 2002.

The middle of march is usually a good time here .It might depend on where you live.I'm in the southeast .

-- SM Steve (notrealmail@msn.com), February 08, 2002.

I live in NE Pennsy and never turn the lights on for my chickens. I got 10-12 eggs each day so far, and it is February. I have 6 other layers that are molting, but my egg production barely dropped.

-- MicheleRaePadgett (michelesmelodyfarm@yahoo.com), February 08, 2002.

Hey Michele Rae,where in n. e. Pa. are you? I am near White Haven.

-- Mary (marwel@microserve.net), February 08, 2002.