Sponsored Post Mystery solved: Why hens stop laying eggs

[rdcowman]

I don't think it 'messed' them up per say..everyone in 2017 has a preferred method of raising chickens it seems. Egg laying hens have crucial vitamin requirements, especially modern production breeds and is extremely taxing on their little systems. Having said that the calcium content and the other things in layer feed isn't much higher than chick starter, the later having a higher protein percentage for development. Your grower feed should be at or around %18 protein, while layer typically is around %16. At the point you are introducing them, they shouldn't need to be on a starter any longer with access to grit.
If they are not laying though, you could actually just use a non layer feed type as some sources believe non laying birds can have adverse reactions to excessive calcium in their systems. Such as fatty liver, digestive issues and kidney failure and potentially ovulation issues since they are not using that calcium for production. For instance I have my 'dog' chicken that I keep in her own cage for various reasons. She decided to molt a few weeks ago, about two months later than the rest. So she is on a feather builder regiment and not layer feed as she hasn't laid an egg since. Show us some pics!

i don't have too many pics on my computer, here's one.

 

[Chullicken]

i don't have too many pics on my computer, here's one. View attachment 1199088

They look very healthy and young. Bright adult comb coloration, feather volume, alertness and all around beautiful. If you didn't know..(nerd fact of the day) The comb is a indication of overall health and also lets one Mr.Romeo rooster know they are ready for lovings!

 

[rdcowman]

the picture was taken September 15. they're bigger now! That's good. i do have 1 rooster, (it was unplanned) the guy i bought these 3 from said they were all girls, well as they they grew he looked more and more like a rooster, so i have rooster now. he's 9 months old. i have a pic of him but i cant't post it. i had a problem with my camera so i can't post the pics that i took before i reset my camera! i'll take some pics today and post them!

 

[rdcowman]

They look very healthy and young. Bright adult comb coloration, feather volume, alertness and all around beautiful. If you didn't know..(nerd fact of the day) The comb is a indication of overall health and also lets one Mr.Romeo rooster know they are ready for lovings!

this is June-

daisy-

this is my rooster Dakota- he is 9 months old

Irises fluffy but-

 

[Chullicken]

the picture was taken September 15. they're bigger now! That's good. i do have 1 rooster, (it was unplanned) the guy i bought these 3 from said they were all girls, well as they they grew he looked more and more like a rooster, so i have rooster now. he's 9 months old. i have a pic of him but i cant't post it. i had a problem with my camera so i can't post the pics that i took before i reset my camera! i'll take some pics today and post them!

I had that very same issue, three 'Black Jersey Giants'..only one was an actual BJG, the other two are Austrolorps. BJB turned out to be a rooster so I got a little irritated at the feed store/hatchery.

 

[RodNTN]

My hens egg production has dropped quite a lot. One, being that daylight has decreased. And another being, my four cockerels have been giving my hens lots of "love" I guess you could say. Very helpful pointers, btw!

 

[flappychicken]

We JUST put our new little hens in with the big ones, and they are getting along nicely. We have around 30 chickens and we are getting around 6 -10 eggs a day. We have a light on a timer in each coop (we have two). And three roosters. I don't think we are getting all the eggs we could get.

 

[The Farmers' Daughter]

I have 4 hens. Only 1 is molting. I haven't seen a single egg in at least 5 weeks. Three of the hens are a spring 2016 hatch, the 4th a spring 2017 hatch. They've been through a lot of changes over the past few months, but things have stayed steady for 4 weeks now. Our daylight hours have dropped to 8 hours/day. Is it just a matter of less daylight or are they still settling in from changes?

 

[Chullicken]

I have 4 hens. Only 1 is molting. I haven't seen a single egg in at least 5 weeks. Three of the hens are a spring 2016 hatch, the 4th a spring 2017 hatch. They've been through a lot of changes over the past few months, but things have stayed steady for 4 weeks now. Our daylight hours have dropped to 8 hours/day. Is it just a matter of less daylight or are they still settling in from changes?

I am no chicken whisperer, but it sounds like they have had some chicken stress during the last few weeks. As we know, chickens are very if not overly sensitive to changes in their psychology. I would presume once they feel comfortable, safe and warm again after a period of adjustment you should be getting some kind of production form them once again. Given the dimming hours of daylight and cooler air temperatures, this probably also has a part in it. Some breeds really shut down during this period, some like your modern production varieties keep chugging usually at a lower rate of laying. My one Austrolorp decided to molt mid November and looks like she has mange. She hasn't laid an egg in a month which is very ok, she is using that energy to regrow feathers. My Red Sex Links are still laying in December, but from six a day to three at best.

 

[Kim95037]

My chickens havent laid an egg for 3 months! The first month or so I figured it was from the molting and the winter setting in. Turns out I have a freaking BOBCAT coming into my yard and terrorizing my poor chickens. Caught him on video. Police department and Fish and Game have been next to ZERO help. It really sucks, I already lost my beloved Penelope to this guy, my neighbor had one of her chickens attacked and the whole neighborhood is practically on lockdown. Im beginning to wonder if I will ever see an egg again. My chickens are safe inside their coop and run, but they dont know that!