When to Start Stocking Up?

[Smuvers Farm]

What time of year (or month) would be good to start saving eggs instead of selling? We currently have a flock size of 13, with egg production between 7-9 eggs per day as we still have littles that aren't laying yet.

I'd like to save enough to provide 3-5 dozen eggs per month for the months they aren't laying.

Thanks!!!

 

[BirdHead]

They stay good if they aren't washed for up to 6 months refrigerated, my preference a month without..

 

[lazy gardener]

It all depends on how soon they start to cut back in their laying. And a lot of that is dependent on: your lattitude, the age of your birds, the breed of your birds, the strain of the breed of your birds, your feed regimen, when your birds reach sexual maturity in relation to the summer solstice... A lot of variables here! How old are your littles now? I like to store 4 - 8 dozen eggs in my fridge for the lean times b/c I can fit 4 boxes high on my bottom shelf. I also plan on supplemental lighting for back up. So, when my egg supply gets worrisome, I start ramping up the light. Within 2 - 3 weeks the production starts picking back up.

 

[dunnmom]

My own flock of 6 went off-lay during the coldest months of winter. They molted then as well, which is probably the main reason for the lull. This year I will start freezing small batches of eggs as soon as we get our first frost unless I notice molting first. They might lay through winter this year, but I don't want to have to buy store-bought eggs for 2 months again if I don't have to. I always have 4 dozen extra eggs in my fridge during the best production times, so accumulating enough to freeze should not be too tough.