2 year old chickens stopped laying

[annaf]

Hi

Can any one help, I've introduced 18 week chicks to a coop where there was two chickens aged 2 years. They had laid eggs until the new additions, now we haven't had eggs for two weeks - could this be down to stress?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Probably.
Tell us everything you can about the diet.

 

[annaf]

They have layers pellets and get to forage in the garden a few times a week, normally in a large run as we have foxes in our area.

I fortify their water with calcium and use a herbal wormer.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Why the added calcium in the water and how much?
Calcium in addition to what is in layer feed should be a free choice thing, like oyster shell on the side. If added calcium is in the water they can't avoid it.
Layer feed is already 4% calcium.

 

[aart]

Absolutely stress...how much space and nests for how many chickens?

Agrees with CC's assessment on the calcium.

 

[annaf]

Only just started adding it when laying stopped, thought it would help. I'll stop it then. I thought it might be stress, they look as healthy as ever. Lovely and red.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Patience should do the trick.
Extra calcium (like that in layer feed) won't stimulate laying, it just replaces that withdrawn from the medullary bone as an egg passes through the shell gland.
If any dietary adjustment can stimulate laying, it would be protein.

As creatures of habit, any changes can cause enough stress to prevent ovulation.
I once tried to monitor egg quality, quantity and size by moving some hens into their own quarters. They would lay an egg or two and stop.
I had a beagle get into a coop and run. It terrorized the flock and pulled a bunch of feathers. I had been getting about 10 eggs a day. I got 3 that day, including a shelless egg. After that I didn't get another egg for 2 months.

 

[annaf]

Thank you for the responses! I wouldn't mind if they'd stopped, I'd love them just the same.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If you want them to live a long time and they're not laying eggs, definitely switch them from layer feed to a grower or finisher. Excess calcium for non-layers will cause kidney stones, gout and more.

Pages 17-24
http://nhjy.hzau.edu.cn/kech/synkx/dong/2bao/UrolithiasisChina.pdf

http://www.poultryshowcentral.com/chicken_gout.html

 

[annaf]

Just an update;

We've started getting eggs again, only a couple but so glad they're coming through the stress they've been going through.