Hens not laying

[peacockgurl]

Hello everyone, I just found this site and am so happy I did!

I am new to chickens, we just bought our first ones in January. We have two Polish hens that free range in our backyard. About the second or third week we had them they started laying eggs, we got maybe five eggs over a two week period then they stopped and we haven't had any since late January.

They have a shelter, I feed them a laying blend (or so the bag says), and they always have fresh water. It is getting warmer now than it was when they were laying so I don't believe it is the temperature that is keeping them from producing (although we're in N. Nevada and it is still pretty cold).

any ideas of what might be keeping them from laying?

Thanks!

 

[DeeTee]

I am no expert -- I have had chickens now for 9 months or so -- but it seems that egg production has a lot to do with light.
I have a light in the coop on a timer. It comes on at 3 a.m. and goes off at 10 a.m. just to lenghthen the day for the girls. Do your grils get lots of light?

My Delawares and Black Sex Links laid all winter long, although my hybrid layers stopped for two months and only just started again.

I bet you will get lots of replies to this.

BTW, welcome to BYC!!

 

[peacockgurl]

thanks for the warm welcome!

I don't have them locked up, so they get light all day from the sun (they have a shelter they sleep in, but are usually out all day long). If i put a light in their shelter does it have to be a special kind or can I just put a lantern in there?

 

[DeeTee]

You will get different opinions on what type of light to use. Mine is a standard 100 watt lihtbulb, in an 8x8 foot coop. I didn't notice before that you are in Nevada -- obviously your environment is a lot different from mine. I am in Northern Ontario, Canada.

How much daylight is there in your neck of the woods? Here, it is not light until 7 a.m. or so and dusk again at 6 p.m.

 

[gritsar]

I agree that it's probably a light issue. The girls were more than likely on their winter break.
The days are getting longer now, so they should start laying for you again soon.

 

[crazyhen]

If your hens are free range listen for their egg song. sometimes they hide those little packages of theirs. If the problem is light then it will soon be solved with the days getting longer. They need at least 14 hrs of sunlight or other light to lay well. Even a hen needs a break from laying , a vacation to recharge. jean

 

[lambchick]

I raise cairn and silky terriers. A few years ago I attended a seminar by the nations leading neonatal and post natal expert. One of the things that he stressed for consistent fertility, litter size and heat cycles is consistant light, year around. Even with artificial lighting. I've heard from our feed store that this applies to chickens as well.