No one's been laying in sunny CO

[LuLu and her Ladies]

I have a flock of five hens, 3-4 years old. I have some pretty consistent layers. Their production went down in past winters, but for 1 month we haven't got any eggs!

We are in Denver, CO. The days and nights have even been seasonally "warm" - night time temps between 20 and 40 degrees. All of their behaviors are normal. We have checked their run to see if they are laying somewhere else. No answers there.

We are wondering if anyone else in Denver is experiencing this? Could they all be sick or something else?

 

[21hens-incharge]

It isn't the heat that encourages them to lay. The length of daylight affects laying.

Your hens aren't spring chickens anymore.

Nearly all of my birds are on winter break so not laying. Just my young pullets are laying.

Hang in there as today is winter solstice. Production should pick back up soon.

 

[azygous]

Not only in Denver, but the entire northern hemisphere. Today is the shortest day of the entire year. At our latitude, we're getting maybe ten hours of daylight. When the days drop below twelve hours of daylight egg production in older hens usually halts.

Tomorrow, days will begin increasing. As we get a few minutes more daylight each day, that will be sensed by the hens' pineal gland and a hormone is released to her reproductive system to begin ovulating. It could be just a few more weeks and some hens will begin laying again, or closer to the end of January or February.

Be patient.

 

[LuLu and her Ladies]

It isn't the heat that encourages them to lay. The length of daylight affects laying.

Your hens aren't spring chickens anymore.

Nearly all of my birds are on winter break so not laying. Just my young pullets are laying.

Hang in there as today is winter solstice. Production should pick back up soon.

Okay! "Winter Break" It is helpful to know it's a thing. Thank you!

 

[LuLu and her Ladies]

Not only in Denver, but the entire northern hemisphere. Today is the shortest day of the entire year. At our latitude, we're getting maybe ten hours of daylight. When the days drop below twelve hours of daylight egg production in older hens usually halts.

Tomorrow, days will begin increasing. As we get a few minutes more daylight each day, that will be sensed by the hens' pineal gland and a hormone is released to her reproductive system to begin ovulating. It could be just a few more weeks and some hens will begin laying again, or closer to the end of January or February.

Be patient.

Yes, we are here at our shortest days. This is super informative, thank you. I've now got "old" hens! It's true.