My girls have COMPLETELY stopped laying! WHY? What can I do?

So have mine! 2 weeks now! I continue to feed them on chick crumbs plus mixed grit and periodically greens etc. Fresh water with apple cider vinegar. Talk to them , tell them they are great and have not followed a friend's advice to show them a cleaver . They are all ex bats and 2 have been absolutely amazing and even Betty rewarded me with 2 to 3 eggs a week. They gradually reduced their production and then they all stopped. They are possibly getting close to 2 years of age. just find it strange that they all stopped.

what kind of dust do you use and do you have any solution for winter months

what kind of red pepper....powder?

I just thought I would post my whine......NO EGGS!! I have four layers,...one is sitting on four eggs right now.....one lost a few feathers and stopped laying....one was broody and when I got her broodiness broke she stopped laying....one little girl is laying me an egg every other day. I have six other pullets that should be at POL and I'm waiting, but considering the cold spell we are in I think I'll be waiting a while. I don't see mites, don't see a snake.....sigh

Astrid said:

I have four hens, two Buff Orpingtons and two Barred Rocks, about a year old, and in great health. Up until this week they've been laying very well, but suddenly, they've gone on strike. NO eggs for a few days! What could be the problem? Is this normal? They're not acting broody, and I'm not seeing tons of feathers, like they're molting. They're all acting, eating, pooping normally, just not laying eggs.

What can I do to get the production up?

Click to expand...

Hi ,
Sprout some forage oats ( http://www.plotspike.com ) and give them 1 cubic inch per bird per day. Sprouted oats are used to bring hens into lay and help the cocks produce more robust sperm to help result in more robust chicks. Sprouts should be between 4 and 7 days old. Oat sprouts younger than 4 days will not work because the nutritional change on the 4th day which changes the sprouts from grain feed to green feed hasn't happened yet. Over 7 days, you run the risk of the sprouts going bad.
Use a glass jar whose mouth isn't smaller than it's inside. if it is, the sprouts are harder to get out of the jar. For the Hows and Whys of sprouting, read pages 24 thru 29 of this thread. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/425134/anybody-raise-sprouts-to-feed-the-chickens/230 Oats are historically the best grain to sprout for poultry. Interestingly, I was reading a scholarly article by a poultry man today. He was writing:, " The combination of correctly selecting the heavy weight birds, and the lowered amount /cost of feed by sprouting the black oil sunflower, wheat and oats was calmer birds on 1/3 volume of feed."

You may also have a lighting problems. As the days get shorter, it helps laying to extend their daylight hours with artificial lighting. This time of year, I use a 60 watt incandescent in the proper holder to help keep the cocks comb from frostbite. It also gives the hens extra light. It is on 24/7 for the boys, some say that negatively affects laying rate, that has ot been my experience. The hens continue t lay as in warmer times.

The other thing is the protein in their feed. You are feeding them 16-18% feed? These heritage breeds do better on feed that is at least 20%. Switch them to a Meatbird formula. They are both dual purpose fowl breeds. Give them something 20-24% protein. Right now if you are feeding 16% it is possible they are using all the protein to keep themselves warm with none left over for egg production. Suggestions are Agway Meatbird ( I had good results with this) . Purina Game Bird Flight Conditioner formula @ 19% ( looking for a local source, circling around this after a good referral from Chris09 ) ; Southern States Meat Maker ( I had good results with this) ; Nutrena Naturewise Meatbird ( looking for a local source for this) . The very least I would go is Purina Flock Raiser at 18% but in this cold, with these heritage fowl, even that is iffy for egg production. I will eventually try all of these and select the very best formula for my strain of birds.


Sources:
Suggestions are .
Agway Meatbird , Crude Protein Min. 22%
http://www.agwayfeeds.com/agway/en/products/poultry/agway-broiler-maker/index.jsp
---------------------------
Purina Game Bird Flight Conditioner 22%
Chris09 feeds the startena ( 30%) till 4-6 weeks, then switches to this 19% for his heritage birds:
http://wildlife.purinamills.com/nutritionmanagement/ECMD2-0017383.aspx
( circling around this after a good referral from Chris09 )
birds 6 to 16 weeks of age.
----------------------
Naturewise Meat Bird @ 22%
http://www.nutrenaworld.com/products/poultry/naturewise-poultry/naturewise-meatbird/index.jsp

--------------------------
Agway All-Grain Meat Bird Maker , Min. 22%
http://www.southernstates.com/catalog/p-9950-southern-states-all-grain-meat-bird-maker-50lb.aspx ( I had good results with this)

That I know of, all these formulas can be fed to both sexes. You want to see at or below about max. 1.45% calcium to feed both sexes. The additional calcium in layer feeds isn't so good for the cocks and can cause problems with their kidneys. If you feel the need to supplement your all-flock formula with calcium, feed oyster shell separately from the feed, the cocks will only take it if they need it and that is a good plan.
Best Regards,
Karen