2 Brahma Banty's stopped laying ....

[pinkchick]

About 3 weeks ago I noticed that my banty's are not laying. They are not molting and eating fine. Could it be that this is one of the breeds that is finicky to the winter weather? Their age is unknown as I got them from someone who couldn't keep them anymore, I believe they are around 1 year old.

Thanks!

 

[gritsar]

I don't know if the fact that they are bantams would make a difference, but in general brahmas are a very winter hardy breed. I have LF brahma and they are still laying fine despite winter.

 

[seriousbill]

My Brahma Bantams are laying well right now, but they are all pullets under one year old. I recently had a 2 year old hen, though, and she stopped laying all last winter. She stood the cold fine, just didn't want to lay in it.

 

[swtangel321]

Quote:
In genral chickens slow down in the cold weather when there is less light !!

Are they getting 14 hours of light a day ??

 

[pinkchick]

Yes they are getting at least 14 hrs if not 15-16 hrs.
These two girlz where my best layers giving me 1 egg each a day like clock work when my other hens would only cough up a couple.

Guess if I got the answer they wouldn't be as fun to watch and learn from would they?

Thanks! Merry Christmas

 

[jossanne]

They could be starting a molt, and just not have lost enough feathers for you to notice yet...

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
That's kinda what I was thinking. On my buffs it's easy to tell that they are moulting, but on my darks it's really hard to tell except for all the dark feathers in the coop. They're doing a slow gradual thing.

 

[pinkchick]

I'm not sure ..........but when I got them 3 months ago it seemed to me that they looked a little scraggly and they resembled my hens that were in molt. After watching them for a week or more they started to grow new feathers, so I am assuming that they molting at that time. Funny thing is that they were laying every day. They do not currently appear to be in a molt as I have looked them over and not seeing any evidence. Nice and fluffy.
They also appear to be happy, no one is pecking/picking on them.

I wonder......they used to lay on the floor in a corner but I rearranged some things in my coop design (what a POOPIE JOB) would that be it, could they be mad or adjusting to the new design?

They came to me with 4 Sebright chicks (almost pullets) and 2 Sebright Roo's and a 4 year old Jersey Giant, I have lost the 4 chicks due to free range predators (I do not let my birds free range now)
When the last chick/pullet was killed around 3 weeks ago is about when they stopped laying. Could they be missing these chicks?

I just want them to be happy and laying!