Annual Egg Production - Lights vs No Lights

[urbaninsteading]

I'm looking at my first flock next year. We homestead on a .25 acres in a suburb of Minneapolis (zone 4b). We are allowed to have 4 hens (no roosters), no free-ranging, and no selling of eggs on prem. My family consists of my partner and I (and our 2 dogs, but we don't give them eggs) and we are currently eating a dozen eggs every 7-10 days.

I plan on ordering from Meyer Hatchery, but I don't know if their production rates assume artificial lights or not. I DO NOT want to use artificial lights, but I'm not sure what the production rate will be like without them and if it will be enough to feed them. I also want to be able to calculate when we may expect to need to turn over our flock (in years).

I am thinking about ordering the following breeds. All lay 4-6 eggs per week according to the website.

Barred Rock
White Rock
Austra White
Speckled Sussex - I have heard they go broody and am on the fence about this breed. They are just so pretty and I heard they are really friendly. Will the fact that they can go broody, hugely effect egg production to the point that we won't have enough to feed the two of us?

Will these breeds produce enough eggs for two people without artificial lights?

 

[nuthatched]

Chickens take a winter break, it's good for them, the count that any hatchery gives is usually padded and the real number is about a quarter less than they say. I don't know if they consider artificial light in their math. Broodiness and friendliness is up to the individual bird. You can break a broody, you dont have to let her sit. With four hens you will get 1-3 eggs a day, they'll likely lay through their first winter but not the second, so you might want to cycle new hens in, old ones out. You can also store excess eggs fir winter.
Chickens do not lay when it's very hot or molting or a small list of scenarios.

 

[urbaninsteading]

Chickens take a winter break, it's good for them, the count that any hatchery gives is usually padded and the real number is about a quarter less than they say. I don't know if they consider artificial light in their math. Broodiness and friendliness is up to the individual bird. You can break a broody, you dont have to let her sit. With four hens you will get 1-3 eggs a day, they'll likely lay through their first winter but not the second, so you might want to cycle new hens in, old ones out. You can also store excess eggs fir winter.
Chickens do not lay when it's very hot or molting or a small list of scenarios.

Thanks! I do plan on learning how to water glass. Laying decreases about 20% per year, right?

 

[nuthatched]

Thanks! I do plan on learning how to water glass. Laying decreases about 20% per year, right?

I've never heard that, so I'm not sure. it does decrease but it's up to the bird.
If you only want 4 hens I'd order from a different hatchery, meyer is a bit expensive and their small order fee is steep.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

If you want birds for laying just get 4 sexlinks they are meant to lay for two year then be replaced

 

[urbaninsteading]

I've never heard that, so I'm not sure. it does decrease but it's up to the bird.
If you only want 4 hens I'd order from a different hatchery, meyer is a bit expensive and their small order fee is steep.

I'm aware. For the breeds I want I can't find a better hatchery though - also, only a select few hatcheries even have low minimums at all, and many of those require 3+ of the same breed (which would limit my ability to get different breeds). My plan is to raise 15 in the brooder and sell off the rest when they are ready to go outside. I've been keeping a very close pulse on how quickly pullets are finding homes and I feel confident that I have a market in my area. I spoke with another chicken owner who does this every year and she gave me some pointers.

 

[triciayoung]

I'm looking at my first flock next year. We homestead on a .25 acres in a suburb of Minneapolis (zone 4b). We are allowed to have 4 hens (no roosters), no free-ranging, and no selling of eggs on prem. My family consists of my partner and I (and our 2 dogs, but we don't give them eggs) and we are currently eating a dozen eggs every 7-10 days.

I plan on ordering from Meyer Hatchery, but I don't know if their production rates assume artificial lights or not. I DO NOT want to use artificial lights, but I'm not sure what the production rate will be like without them and if it will be enough to feed them. I also want to be able to calculate when we may expect to need to turn over our flock (in years).

I am thinking about ordering the following breeds. All lay 4-6 eggs per week according to the website.

Barred Rock
White Rock
Austra White
Speckled Sussex - I have heard they go broody and am on the fence about this breed. They are just so pretty and I heard they are really friendly. Will the fact that they can go broody, hugely effect egg production to the point that we won't have enough to feed the two of us?

Will these breeds produce enough eggs for two people without artificial lights?

I love my speckled sussex so much. Lucy is my favorite bird. She sits in my lap and talks to me. The problem is...she is too nice and gets bullied a lot. But, I keep a close eye on her. She is a good layer. She has never been broody - a problem I have every other week with my silkies.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would recommend 3-4 layers should more than keep you in eggs. Especially the first year. Personally for 3-4 chicks, I would just go to the local feed store, and grab some there. Especially if you are just getting started. No need to spend a huge amount on chicks, unless you go for breeding a pure bred operation.

The chicks you asked for should be readily available in a feed store. I like a mixed flock, and have always kept them.

My Advice, take what you want:

• They do not live forever, 3-4 years is a pretty reasonable estimation, although some people do have them live much longer
• They do not lay the same amount all the time. Freezing eggs or water glassing in times of plenty is a good idea.
• Do not FILL the coop the first year. I think one does have a better flock, if you add a few each year, and remove a few each year. Keeps your flock younger, and therefore healthier.

There really is no perfect way to do chickens, the best thing is to just DO chickens and kind of figure out what you like, and what you don't.

Mrs K

 

[Mr Spot]

I'm looking at my first flock next year. We homestead on a .25 acres in a suburb of Minneapolis (zone 4b). We are allowed to have 4 hens (no roosters), no free-ranging, and no selling of eggs on prem. My family consists of my partner and I (and our 2 dogs, but we don't give them eggs) and we are currently eating a dozen eggs every 7-10 days.

I plan on ordering from Meyer Hatchery, but I don't know if their production rates assume artificial lights or not. I DO NOT want to use artificial lights, but I'm not sure what the production rate will be like without them and if it will be enough to feed them. I also want to be able to calculate when we may expect to need to turn over our flock (in years).

I am thinking about ordering the following breeds. All lay 4-6 eggs per week according to the website.

Barred Rock
White Rock
Austra White
Speckled Sussex - I have heard they go broody and am on the fence about this breed. They are just so pretty and I heard they are really friendly. Will the fact that they can go broody, hugely effect egg production to the point that we won't have enough to feed the two of us?

Will these breeds produce enough eggs for two people without artificial lights?

I have 1 barred rock in my small flock and she has out laid all the rest, I'm pretty sure I'll get a couple more this spring .

 

[ChickenTater Dad]

I'm looking at my first flock next year. We homestead on a .25 acres in a suburb of Minneapolis (zone 4b). We are allowed to have 4 hens (no roosters), no free-ranging, and no selling of eggs on prem. My family consists of my partner and I (and our 2 dogs, but we don't give them eggs) and we are currently eating a dozen eggs every 7-10 days.

I plan on ordering from Meyer Hatchery, but I don't know if their production rates assume artificial lights or not. I DO NOT want to use artificial lights, but I'm not sure what the production rate will be like without them and if it will be enough to feed them. I also want to be able to calculate when we may expect to need to turn over our flock (in years).

I am thinking about ordering the following breeds. All lay 4-6 eggs per week according to the website.

Barred Rock
White Rock
Austra White
Speckled Sussex - I have heard they go broody and am on the fence about this breed. They are just so pretty and I heard they are really friendly. Will the fact that they can go broody, hugely effect egg production to the point that we won't have enough to feed the two of us?

Will these breeds produce enough eggs for two people without artificial lights?

Our girls are less than a year old, and we do not give them any artificial light what so ever. Our flock includes 2 of the barred rocks, a leghorn and a ISA Brown. They are 43 weeks old today and as far as Egg Count goes, our first chick started laying Sept. 4th .2022 and all 4 girls have layed a total of 634 eggs to date. Just the barred rocks have layed 324 of those eggs. I'm not an expert because this is our first year owning any poultry stock, and if you have a hen that goes broody, you'll still have the other 3 hens to count on.

The first year you'll notice a large amount of eggs building up that most likely you'll be giving away to friends and neighbors and other family members, and maybe even like us, the mail carrier. We are also considering putting a fresh dozen out for the meter maid next month.

When everyone else was talking about a slow down in egg production, and blaming it on the feed, We never experienced the slightest hiccup. I can tell ya this though. Just in case we got a hold of a good batch and it lasted us so long on feeding our 4 girls, we decided to switch brands of food to make sure we didn't get a hold of a bad batch. After the switch, our girls increased the size of their eggs and hasn't missed a day of production since.

One thing you'll find about your first set of girls, is they are addicting. So I say, as a new Owner (43 weeks Chicken Dad) Don't hesitate about it. You'll be glad ya did.