This winter our flock of barred rock and buff orpington chickens experienced a significant drop-off in egg production. 1 egg days were common and 3 eggs in 1 day was a cause for celebration. This was due in part to the changing of the seasons, with the short and cold winter days translating to less egg production. This is pretty standard for chickens, but did not account entirely for our huge drop in eggs.

This winter, our chickens went through their first molt. Molting is when chickens lose all of their feathers and then regrow new ones. This takes a great deal of energy, and during the molt, chickens gradually stop laying only to pick back up after they have grown back all of their feathers. Chickens will go through their first molt at about 18 months, and then once every year after that.

So, for the past couple of months we were pretty low on eggs, and even had to stop selling to our loyal customers. However, the eggs are back in town! The chickens have come home to lay eggs again! We started getting 2-3 eggs everyday about 2 weeks ago, and now we are consistently getting 5 or 6 standards and an equal number of bantams everyday.

To me it feels like another sign that spring is actually coming and that soon the grass will be green, the clover will be blooming, and the trees will leaf out.