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Chicken Support Insights - Episode 40: The Fall Ordering Mistake That Costs You Winter Eggs · Valley Hatchery Podcast

• 0:06
  Nikki: Hey everyone, welcome back to the Chicken Inside Podcast.
• 0:10
  Nikki: I'm Nikki and today I'm here with Courtney.
• 0:13
  Nikki: On episode 40 today, we are talking about the fall ordering mistake that could cost you winter eggs and why ordering now matters.
• 0:21
  Nikki: We're going to look at why the timing of your order can make a difference if winter egg production is one of your goals, especially when you consider how birds mature and how daylight changes through the season.
• 0:33
  Cortney: Yeah, spring is the obvious time that a lot of people think about ordering chicks.
• 0:37
  Cortney: But if you're thinking about winter eggs, the calendar gets a little more complicated.
• 0:42
  Cortney: Let's jump in.
• 0:43
  Nikki: Why do you need to order chicks in late summer or fall if you want them laying eggs by next winter?
• 0:50
  Cortney: I think the biggest thing people need to remember is that they're not just planning for the day that they place their order.
• 0:56
  Cortney: They really need to think about where that bird is going to be later in the year and how old it will be and what stage of development it will be in that season.
• 1:06
  Cortney: So when you order matters, the time of year you bring chicks home affects how old and mature they'll be when the winter arrives.
• 1:13
  Cortney: A flock started in the spring has a very different timeline than one started later in the year.
• 1:19
  Cortney: Think beyond hatch day.
• 1:21
  Cortney: Consider where those birds will be in their growth and development several months down the road.
• 1:26
  Cortney: Planning ahead helps you have a better idea of what to expect from your flock as the seasons change.
• 1:34
  Cortney: Most importantly, set realistic expectations.
• 1:37
  Cortney: Good planning can help put your flock in the best position for success, but it can't guarantee a specific number of eggs or exact egg production.
• 1:48
  Nikki: Right.
• 1:48
  Nikki: You're really working backwards on what you want your flock to be doing in the winter.
• 1:53
  Cortney: Yes.
• 1:54
  Cortney: So, Nikki, how does daylight factor into the winter laying equation?
• 2:01
  Nikki: Well, daylight is a big part of this because you can't really separate the bird's maturity from the season it's maturing in.
• 2:08
  Nikki: As we know, as the seasons progress, the daylight changes.
• 2:12
  Nikki: As fall and winter approach, we get less and less daylight, and we know shorter days can affect laying patterns.
• 2:18
  Nikki: Chickens need that 14 to 16 hours of daylight to lay consistently.
• 2:23
  Nikki: Bird's age and maturity and seasonal daylight have to be considered together because laying is controlled by both the bird's reproductive development and the amount of light it receives.
• 2:33
  Nikki: And being old enough to lay does not tell you the whole story.
• 2:37
  Nikki: Being old enough only tells you the chicken has reached or is approaching the biological age at which she can lay.
• 2:44
  Nikki: It doesn't guarantee that her reproductive system has actually been triggered to start laying.
• 2:49
  Nikki: And that age and maturity means her reproductive system is developed enough to produce eggs, and the length of daylight tells her brain that it's an appropriate time to reproduce.
• 2:58
  Nikki: And as we know, birds mature at different rates as well.
• 3:01
  Nikki: So while one breed might not might mature at 16 to 17 weeks, others may take 24.
• 3:06
  Nikki: So winter laying involves more than just breed selection alone.
• 3:09
  Nikki: It's important to keep those extraction realistic, like you said.
• 3:13
  Nikki: And you know, rather than promising consistent production from every bird.
• 3:17
  Cortney: Yeah, and that's probably where some of the confusion comes from.
• 3:20
  Cortney: People look at the bird's age, but they may not be thinking about what the daylight is doing at that time.
• 3:25
  Cortney: Right.
• 3:26
  Nikki: So when you look at that maturation timeline, what changes when someone orders in the fall instead of waiting until spring?
• 3:33
  Cortney: I'd look at it more as a calendar problem.
• 3:36
  Cortney: Where is this bird going to be developmentally when fall arrives?
• 3:40
  Cortney: And where will it be when we get into winter?
• 3:43
  Cortney: I think people sometimes focus so much on the order date that they forget to think about where that bird will be later on in that year.
• 3:52
  Cortney: A spring order gives those birds several months to grow and mature before winter.
• 3:57
  Cortney: While a later order means they'll be much younger and smaller when those days get shorter and so on.
• 4:04
  Cortney: There is no right season, it's when it's right for you.
• 4:07
  Cortney: It really comes down to what you want from your flock.
• 4:10
  Cortney: Are you planning for spring production?
• 4:12
  Cortney: Or are you hoping for production throughout the winter?
• 4:15
  Cortney: There isn't one right ordering season for everyone.
• 4:18
  Cortney: Start with the outcome you want, then work backwards to determine the best time to start your flock.
• 4:24
  Nikki: Exactly.
• 4:24
  Nikki: It's not just about getting the birds, it's about understanding when the birds will be ready for the job you want them to do.
• 4:32
  Nikki: Now, before we continue, here's a quick message from Valley Hatchery.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, this is Courtney, customer support manager here at Valley Hatchery.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: Quick reminder before we get back to the episode.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: If you are planning your 2027 flock, this is worth knowing.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: Early reservations open soon and they let you lock this year's price, pick your breeds first, and choose your dates before anyone else.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: A waiting list opens soon so you hear the moment it goes live.
• 5:03
  Cortney: Welcome back to the Chicken Insights podcast.
• 5:06
  Cortney: Let's jump back into today's conversation.
• 5:08
  Cortney: So, Nikki, what is the fall ordering mistake people should avoid if they want winter eggs?
• 5:15
  Nikki: Well, one would be ordering chicks too late.
• 5:17
  Nikki: Chicks ordered in September may not be mature enough to lay consistently once winter arrives.
• 5:23
  Nikki: And another is kind of like I touched on earlier, assuming old enough automatically means they will lay all winter.
• 5:28
  Nikki: A pool that can be biologically mature to lay, but still be affected by the shorter daylight hours.
• 5:33
  Nikki: And as discussed, they need that 14 to 16 hours to maintain that strong production.
• 5:38
  Nikki: Choosing a breed without considering winter performance is another.
• 5:42
  Nikki: Some breeds are more reliable winter layers, but even an excellent winter laying breed won't overcome poor timing or insufficient daylight.
• 5:50
  Nikki: Another is expecting maximum production immediately.
• 5:54
  Nikki: Even when poets begin laying, production ramps up rather than jumping immediately to peak.
• 5:59
  Nikki: Production ramps up rather than jumping immediately to peak production.
• 6:03
  Nikki: Ordering birds so they can reach maturity before the days become very short gives you a much better chance of getting winter eggs.
• 6:11
  Nikki: You will need to work backwards from that desired winter outcome.
• 6:14
  Cortney: Yeah, if winter eggs are part of the goal, the planning needs to happen before winter.
• 6:19
  Nikki: So if someone is planning their flock right now, what should they actually work backwards from?
• 6:25
  Cortney: I'd start with the result that you want, then work backwards through the calendar to fit that goal.
• 6:32
  Cortney: So when do you want your flock producing?
• 6:35
  Cortney: How old will these birds be when you get there?
• 6:38
  Cortney: You also want to think about the season and the daylight because those can affect what you should expect from your hens.
• 6:44
  Cortney: Consider whether your space and your setup can comfortably support your flock throughout the winter too.
• 6:49
  Cortney: And most importantly, don't feel like you have to follow the usual spring rush just because that's when everyone else is ordering.
• 6:56
  Cortney: Be intentional about when you start your flock based on your flock goals and needs.
• 7:01
  Cortney: Exactly.
• 7:01
  Cortney: And that's probably the biggest takeaway.
• 7:04
  Nikki: Don't start with the order date.
• 7:05
  Nikki: Start with the goal.
• 7:06
  Nikki: Yes, that's right, Nikki.
• 7:08
  Nikki: And one thing, Courtney, we haven't talked about yet is that eggs aren't necessarily the end goal for every flock.
• 7:14
  Nikki: How should someone think about the breed they're ordering and what they want their flock to do?
• 7:19
  Cortney: So, Nikki, although eggs are important, that's what we all are waiting for.
• 7:24
  Cortney: It's not the end goal for all of our customers.
• 7:26
  Cortney: I think you really need to consider the breed that you're ordering, what you want from that breed, and when that breed reaches laying age.
• 7:34
  Cortney: If winter egg production is part of your plan, you may want to look at breeds known for being cold hardy or good winter layers, but maybe eggs aren't your main goal.
• 7:45
  Cortney: You might be looking for a dual-purpose bird, a certain temperament, appearance, or something else entirely.
• 7:52
  Cortney: The important thing to do is to look at the breed, its characteristics, and its development timeline altogether.
• 7:59
  Cortney: Start with what you want from your flock to accomplish, and then choose the bird that fits that goal for you.
• 8:06
  Nikki: So it really comes back to planning the whole flock, not just planning for a certain number of eggs.
• 8:11
  Cortney: Yes, that's right.
• 8:12
  Cortney: And if you're trying to figure out which breed might fit your goals, especially if you're looking for cold, hardy layers or you want to understand when different breeds typically start laying, reach out to our customer service team.
• 8:26
  Cortney: They can help you walk through what you're looking for and build your flock.
• 8:30
  Cortney: Yeah.
• 8:31
  Cortney: Hopefully, this gives you a different way to think about ordering your flock.
• 8:36
  Cortney: If winter eggs are important to you, look at the whole timeline.
• 8:40
  Cortney: Think about when the birds will mature, what the daylight will be doing, what breed fits your goals, and what you realistically want from your flock.
• 8:50
  Nikki: Yeah, and the goal is really intentional planning.
• 8:52
  Nikki: You're not just choosing when to get birds, you're thinking about what you want those birds to be doing later in the year and why you're choosing those particular breeds.
• 9:01
  Cortney: So ask yourself, are you planning your flock around the season and goals you have, or are you just ordering when everyone else does?
• 9:08
  Nikki: And if you have a chicken question you'd like us to cover in a future episode, we'd love to hear from you.
• 9:13
  Nikki: Have a chicken question for us, leave us a waif message using the fan mail link in this episode description on Buds Brat.
• 9:20
  Nikki: We listen to every message and you might hear your question answered in a future episode of Chicken Insight.
• 9:25
  Cortney: We also love to hear what you're dealing with in your own flocks.
• 9:29
  Cortney: And if you want to keep learning, check out the Valley Hatchery resource on cold hardy chicken breeds and winter eggs.
• 9:36
  Cortney: You can use that as another guide as you plan your next flock.
• 9:40
  Nikki: Thanks for listening to the Chicken Insights podcast.
• 9:42
  Nikki: We'll see you in the next episode.