It's that time of year. Time to remind our egg customers of the seasonal nature of free-range eggs. Most understand, but there's always a few who don't want to acknowledge that Slow Food and being a "locavore" (one who eats locally) has it's realities.
"...egg laying is triggered by day length, so most of our breeds naturally stop or slow down in winter. Availability might be limited in January & February..."
It's the lesson we find ourselves constantly teaching to folks...and it is comforting to know we are not alone...
And speaking of timing, the Ravelry tide has turned: there are now more people in line behind me than in front of me!
2 comments:
I have the same problem here, Mel! Most of the people who know we still ahve a few chickens are understanding when I say that the girls have the winter off. I used to keep lights going when I had over 70 layers - I was at a point of having to go larger, or smaller. I went smaller and have now just 11 hens. They are older too, about 4 now, with a few of the bantams younger.
But I still have to explain to some that chickens need light to lay, they also need a rest to replenish themselves, their feathers, and keep a bit of fat on to be comfortable in winter - even tho they are in the barn. I found that they do much better when they start to lay again.
I just hate having to buy eggs myself. I'll stand for 30 minutes checking each carton making mumbled comments as I go. :)
Yup, same problem here, especially since we now have 6 layers instead of 36. I have a heating lamp in the hen house for the pullets so that helps some but, as Kathy said, the girls need a rest. I wish the world at large would let us do that, produce less since the days are shorter. We wouldn't be running around in the frenzy that we typically do this time of year; wouldn't that be nice?
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