Year-round vs. "seasonal" layers?

[ksdave]

While most breeds of chickens lay eggs year-round (except when molting, of course), some breeds are described as "seasonal" layers. What about bantams? Can I expect my Rhode Island Red bantams to produce eggs year-round like regular-sized RIR, or are bantams typically more seasonal layers?

 

[Olive Hill]

I don't know where you've obtained your information but I'd scratch it off your reading list from here on out. Most chickens are seasonal layers, some chickens will lay year round. Production is dictated by daylight hours so, during seasons when daylight hours are short, production wanes and for many birds stops entirely. Your best bet for year round egg production without providing artificial light will be the dedicated egg-only hybrids -- ISA Browns are machines, when it comes to egg laying.

Bantam is a size, not a breed. Any given bantam-sized breed will have its own egg laying qualities.

 

[Mrs. K]

I do not provide light, and I get eggs all year long, and I live in So Dak. so our winter days are short. my production is about 3 /5 all winter, and 4/5 to 5/5 in the summer. I have heard that adding light will give me more eggs, but I would be sure that my production has fallen big time before I would go to the expense. MrsK

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Even the hybrids have 'seasons'. My nephew has 12 hybrids and they started laying at 16 weeeks and pumped out eggs all winter long.(10-12 eggs every day)..they are a yr old now and are giving him only 3-4eggs on days when the heat is above 90*...the hotter is has been the less eggs he gets..

 

[Cindy in PA]

The OP didn't ask about "bantams" they asked about RIR bantams. I normally would get 5-6 eggs a week from a Plymouth Rock big chicken. I have had PR bantams for a year and have been averaging 2-4 per bird from the bantams since October. That is my only experience with bantams & all birds have been hatchery types. They layed pretty well in the winter, but I added light. I would think RIR bantams would lay pretty well, but I guess that depends what they were bred for. My lone sebright hen layed a lot in spring, but I haven't seen an egg from her for awhile, so I would say she is seasonal. Hopefully someone with more experience with bantams can comment further.