Why Aren't My Chickens Laying? Here Are Your Answers!

[1ChickenKeeper]

Mine have begun to molt, yours will as well, some stop laying up to a month before they start, others lay during part of the molt, they will resume after the days begin to lengthen, usually around February or March. Some people will use light to get them to resume laying sooner.

Uh huh. Same here. I've been told there's also some kinds of feed that may help the girls, "Feather Fixer," I believe it's called.
I haven't tried it, nor do I think they sell it in my local feed store.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I have heard of it, never tried it, I will offer a higher protein ration to help them a bit.

 

[Ila88]

They do slow down this time of year.

 

[WCHomestead]

So....My older gals are beginning their molt and of course the days are getting shorter. I have 17 girls (BW Brahmas) that are not old enough to molt yet but they are joining "I am going to stop laying" club. I am down to 3-5 eggs a day from 17-22 a day. I have a total of 28 girls.
Question: We usually put in artificial light to keep them laying through winter. Will this hamper the older ones ability to completely molt? This is their first molt and I don't want to interfere, but the artificial light worked wonderfully last fall/winter. We had plenty of eggs all the way through.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

First year hens will lay right through winter with or without the light, the purpose of the light it to simulate increasing daylight that happens after the winter solstice, it is suppose to get hens laying sooner after the molt. So it's suppose to be for hens older than a year and I don't think that people start using light yet as it the decreasing light that triggers the molt, so I would wait a bit.

 

[myboys123]

My girls are not laying either. I have twenty burds.I rooster & 19 girls.2weeks ago 14 girls were laying .I had 8 dz eggs in my frig.I just added 5 ee & was told they should lay soon but now only 3girls are laying & nobody else.what the heck is going on. They also attacked pretty bad one of the girls that have been there for 3 months. Just attacked here & ripped her up pretty bad. I bring her in at ngt. But all of a sudden my flock is going all to hell. Can anyone help me ???? Thanks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Introducing new birds is stressful on the flock which is one reason hens halt laying, and most attacks are because of crowding or not providing places for the lower ranking members to escape attacks. Things to get up on or under or even in, my lowest hangs out in a feed trough a lot.

 

[sheetmetaltom]

I have 11 hens and 3 ducks in about 900 sq ft. its much longer then wide, so they can move and hide if they want they have a couple of bushes and the 2 coops they can go in or walk around to get out of site if needed. never had much issue with the pecking order. here and there i'll see someone correcting? another girl. but nothing drastic yet. as far as laying goes, I was getting 8-11 a day from the hens. now about 3-4. I haven't used artificial light yet. I just let them do what nature tells them. last winter I only got 2-4 eggs a week without the light. so far im still prob going to go the same way and just let them rest for a couple months.

 

[myboys123]

I dont think its crowding.I have appx 600 sq feet of pens cut up into 3 different pens. 2 hses.plenty of places tp hide & get away from each other.my rhode isl reds & one of my EE seems to bully everyone else.sometimes these girls drive me crazy!!!!!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

A lot of my hen fights get broken up by the roosters, perhaps you need to add another one.