30 Chickens NO Eggs HELP!!!!

[thereverend]

Ok for almost 2 weeks now I have had NO EGGS and if thats not weird or anything i have over 30 Chickens. The weather has been very cold here, For example tonight its only 26 outside with the wind chill it feels like ZERO. My chickens have not laid one egg. On days under 30 i keep them inside in the heated coop that no doubt is the reason for my HIGH electrical bill as i heat with 3 HEAT LAMPS. The temp in there usially on a 20 degree night is 50 - 55 degrees. So its not SUPER cold. They also have not eaten a lot either. can someone tell me whats going on here? I need to know how to get them back to producing eggs. My nabor has 2 hens and he has no heat for them and they give him eggs every day. HELP!!!!

 

[crazyhen]

I need a little information to help you. How old are your hens? what kind are they. What are they eating? This will help us to help you. Are any of them losing feathers?

Gloria Jean

 

[thereverend]

Quote:
They are all mixed kinds..

Some RED SEX LINKs
Some Road Island Reds
Some Black Bantams

Had them for a while.. about 8 months now.. all of them togother too.
i dont think any are loosing their feathers

 

[jerseygirl1]

ALos, where are you? Are they getting 14 hours of daylight? What kind of coop are they in? Any two legged predators around?

 

[thereverend]

Quote:
Well ,, no to the 14 hours of daylight as they are inside now due to the weather and 2 legged predators.... not in the coop.

 

[jerseygirl1]

That may be part of the problem, chickens don't lay as well in the winter with no daylight. SOMe people have a light in the coop for 14 hours to get eggs all winter. Now, that's part of the problem. YOu shoudl be getting SOMETHING. What are you feeding them? Also, could any of them be eating the eggs?

 

[annaraven]

You might wanna swap out one of the heat lamps for light instead. Let it cool down - they'll be okay, especially if you do it slowly over a week or two. But give them light. 14 hours a day. See if that helps.

 

[crazyhen]

I have red sexlinks (comets) and they are still laying at 2 yrs. no trouble. Is there something scaring your hens on the nest? Check them for mites and lice. Have you been feeding them laying crumbles? Mine will not eat the pellets. I do not heat my hens either. They maybe too hot. They like the 30s and 40s really well. Cut back that heat. If the coop is really dark use one white bulb of small wattage in one of the reflectors just for from 5 am to about 7 at night. There are so many things to think about with hens. Also watch for someone snitching your eggs. It maybe an animal or a two legged one.

Good luck Gloria Jean

 

[Chicken-Rage]

They need enough light for there hormones to kick in to lay eggs. Try making sure they get at least 14 hours of light mine get 16. Mine stopped laying when the it turned cold and the days got shorter. But then I put a light in there coop that cut on about 500am to730 then back on again at 530 pm till 800pm now I getting good egg production again.

 

[jerseygirl1]

OK, you have had them for 8 months - how old were they when you got them?