No eggs for more than a month

[HennyYoungman]

I have a pair of Rhode Island Reds. They are about two years old. For the past couple of years, on the coldest nights I have on a heat lamp outside of the roost. This year I decided to close up of the coop on the coldest nights. Once I started doing that near the end of December, they stopped laying eggs. It has been more than a month since I have seen an egg. Any ideas?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The lack of supplemental light (not heat) coupled with their age made sustaining production through winter less possible for them. Once natural dayligjt increases to 12+ hours per day theyll laay again, but as it will be their third laying cycle they will be a bit less productive....that will be true of successive cycles as well.....time to consider freshening the flock with a couple new girls this year to take up the slack

 

[jthornton]

I have a pair of Rhode Island Reds. They are about two years old. For the past couple of years, on the coldest nights I have on a heat lamp outside of the roost. This year I decided to close up of the coop on the coldest nights. Once I started doing that near the end of December, they stopped laying eggs. It has been more than a month since I have seen an egg. Any ideas?

Chickens need proper draft free ventilation to get the moisture out from breathing and pooping. A closed up coop invites frostbite.

Chickens have a gland in their head that senses the amount of darkness compared to the amount of light, when there is more dark than light it is natural for them to stop laying eggs as the chicks could not survive in the winter. Many add supplemental light in the morning during the winter months to get longer laying season.

JT

 

[HennyYoungman]

So, put a light in the roosting part of the coop? Leave it on for how many hours a day?

(I’m not closing up the roosting part of the coop unless it’s a hard freeze at night btw.)

If I don’t add light, when should I expect to see eggs again?

Thx.

 

[HennyYoungman]

The lack of supplemental light (not heat) coupled with their age made sustaining production through winter less possible for them. Once natural dayligjt increases to 12+ hours per day theyll laay again, but as it will be their third laying cycle they will be a bit less productive....that will be true of successive cycles as well.....time to consider freshening the flock with a couple new girls this year to take up the slack

Ok. Thanks. How long do they live on their own btw?

 

[jthornton]

So, put a light in the roosting part of the coop? Leave it on for how many hours a day?

(I’m not closing up the roosting part of the coop unless it’s a hard freeze at night btw.)

If I don’t add light, when should I expect to see eggs again?

Thx.

As the length of the daylight starts to increase they should start to lay.

The recommended length of light is 14 hours. Unless you have a 30 minute dimmer don't add light after sundown.

JT