We have 5 chickens: 4 hens and a white rooster. Last Fall we were getting about 3-4 eggs per day, dropping to about 2 eggs per day as the Winter Solstice approached. Production stopped in mid December when a big storm covered us with a foot of snow, although that may have been a coincidence. I am told that it is not the weather that tells the chickens when to lay eggs, it is the light. Eggs farms illuminate their hens 14 hours per day to fool their instincts into thinking that it is May. We have debated the putting electric lights in the hutch and although it is tempting to claim we are opting for the natural approach, we are really just not ambitious enough to set it up. But I miss the experience of very fresh eggs. The yolks are thicker and the consistency will vary depending on the diet of the birds that includes chicken feed, bugs, weeds, kitchen scraps and leftover pasta. I love the warmth of a freshly laid egg in my hand. I continued to check the hutch but was always disappointed even though I was leaving them delicious leftover bean soup and old carrots. Finally, in these longer February days, we got one egg, then another, then another from a different hen, bringing the production rate to one egg per day. One fresh egg per day is a wonderful country luxury, to fry gently and serve over fresh salad, or mix raw into steaming hot rice or scramble in hot bacon grease.