Slipster Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 I have about 40 Chickens, I know that they go off laying in the winter months and through their molt but i have had one egg in 7 days A friend ofmine seemed to think it is because of the short daylight hours and suggested a light on a timer to come on early morning, does anyone else do this?? Any advise would be apreciated Slipster PS I have decided to keep some birds for the table, i saw on River cottage a Guy stunning the chicken with an electrical stunner I have scoured the internet but still have not found a spplier, would anyone know of one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 Yup it's down to the reduced day light hours , so a bulb in the coop would be a good idea . As to the electrical stunner , whats wrong with you man ? Stretch there necks !! all the best yis yp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 Also, try get some Decoy eggs, they are made either of clay, or hard rubber. Leave these around the coop, and helps give the chickens the right idea. They work! As pudding says, stretching their necks is the easiet and quickest. On TV programmes they would use electricity as it looks more profesional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 Are the hens free range or in a barn/shed? We have around 130-150 hens that are let out of the hen houses every morning as soon as its light outside and are then free range for the rest of the day untill roosting time, ours seem to laying quite well at the moment. So if your hens are free range maybe they aren't being let out early enough or if not then prahaps its too dark in their enclosure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 Hi, Unless you are a licenced slaughter parson the only LEGAL way to kill a chicken (or any other poutry) is to use neck dislocation (IE streching the neck). You are also NOT allowed to stun before streching. Yes its normal for hens to slow down for winter due to low light. To increase the eggs you need to up the amount of food to offset the extra demands due to the cold & up the light levels. You can get expensive timers that dim the light at the start & end of the day. I prefere to use a standard timer & add all the extra time on in the morning so they get the natural light dimming at night to go to bed by. If you want to avoid this problem in future buy your hens at POL (point of lay) in the first week of August as they are then so high on starting laying they dont slow down for winter any where near as much. This does rely on getting some new birds each year. Any questions ask away as we live on a smallholding & do this all the time. Justme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagleye Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 I have about 40 Chickens, I know that they go off laying in the winter months and through their molt but i have had one egg in 7 days A friend ofmine seemed to think it is because of the short daylight hours and suggested a light on a timer to come on early morning, does anyone else do this?? Any advise would be apreciated Slipster PS I have decided to keep some birds for the table, i saw on River cottage a Guy stunning the chicken with an electrical stunner I have scoured the internet but still have not found a spplier, would anyone know of one? how old are they Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 Oh and what breed? Justme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipster Posted November 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 whats wrong with you man ? Stretch there necks !! nothing mate its just that i wanted to keep their hearts beating after i slit their throats in that way i can pump the blood Breed wise Gosh Orpingtons, isas, Blackrocks, Sussex and a few show birds. Just installed a timer and light hopefully i wont starve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 whats wrong with you man ? Stretch there necks !! nothing mate its just that i wanted to keep their hearts beating after i slit their throats in that way i can pump the blood Breed wise Gosh Orpingtons, isas, Blackrocks, Sussex and a few show birds. Just installed a timer and light hopefully i wont starve When you strech the neck the heart keeps beating & they bleed out into the neck cavity so no mess. You need about 14-16 hours for full production Justme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
game_keeper Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 jus like turkeys then, that what they used to do in the good old days according to me mum lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme Posted November 5, 2006 Report Share Posted November 5, 2006 jus like turkeys then, that what they used to do in the good old days according to me mum lol Yep only chickens are much easier than turkies to do. The first few you will pull em clean off just to make sure you do it right. After a few you get a feel for the right presure to do the job but leave the skin intact. We do chickens by hand & have a wall mounted necker to do the xmas turkeys. Justme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirky640 Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hi,Unless you are a licenced slaughter parson the only LEGAL way to kill a chicken (or any other poutry) is to use neck dislocation (IE streching the neck). You are also NOT allowed to stun before streching. Yes its normal for hens to slow down for winter due to low light. To increase the eggs you need to up the amount of food to offset the extra demands due to the cold & up the light levels. You can get expensive timers that dim the light at the start & end of the day. I prefere to use a standard timer & add all the extra time on in the morning so they get the natural light dimming at night to go to bed by. If you want to avoid this problem in future buy your hens at POL (point of lay) in the first week of August as they are then so high on starting laying they dont slow down for winter any where near as much. This does rely on getting some new birds each year. Any questions ask away as we live on a smallholding & do this all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 What's left of our adult hen's are laying well and out young bantams are coming on nicely although about 4 of the brood are cockerels and are already squaring up to each other and trying to crow which sounds more like a cokarrdeehhhhgggghhhh. We generally put rubber eggs under the chickens to get them to go broody. Don't bother with china eggs. Ours were constantly stolen by an unknown egg bandit as they are light and often are hollow and have a hole in the bottom. We use rubber eggs as they are more realistic and heavy. I have also bought an onyx egg at the Cheddar Gorge gift shop on a school trip which is egg shaped and VERY heavy. Although if you ever have problems with predators just fill a few eggs with mustard or chilli powder. Good luck with them and let us know if they lay. Although if the hens go into their coops on their own accord if its raining or getting dark like ours do extra lighting as it gets dark may just make them go outside again! FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter Posted November 6, 2006 Report Share Posted November 6, 2006 Nice post! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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