20 HENS and no eggs in over 3 months

[amyandkids]

I checked all my birds 3 hours after they went to roost last night, no mites no lice! There is no strange breathing, no runny noses or bubbly eyes all my girls have nice red combs, healthy birds! NOTHING has changed in the last 3 months, no new hens no lost hens, same feed same everything, so is there an illness a wild bird could have brought in that prevents laying with no symptoms?

 

[Cindy in PA]

I only had all quit at one time with the group I have now after 20 + years. Last year they went into molt in August (Welsummers) and never laid again until December. The 4 EEs went into molt in October & I was only one week with no eggs from them. This year both the Welsummers & EEs stopped in August & I Haven't had an egg in weeks. Looks like the EEs will start again soon. This is even with 14 + hours of light. In prior flocks I almost always had someone laying will the others molted. Guess it depends on the birds.

 

[amyandkids]

Im just getting upset cause I sold eggs and fed them to my pigs and the family ate them too! just costing too much $ to feed with out any eggs!! Only 1 of my R.I.R. is molting!

 

[Cindy in PA]

I just got an egg from an EE yesterday, so I went a month with no eggs instead of only 1 week last year, although still none from the Welsummers. Thse girls are starting their 3rd laying season however.

 

[amyandkids]

hopefully your welsummers will start soon! I left all my girls in the coop and run for 2 days now and no eggs like I knew would happen! My husband and I will have a lot of processing this weekend I think, its sad but I cant afford feed and all to not get anything back! we have been spending an extra 40.00 a month on feed because no eggs! I have given them the talk about it but they continue to be slackers

!

 

[robbie1970]

I have about 80 hensbut notlaying at alli thought it was the heatbut has been cool lasy couple weeks but only got6 eggs this week

 

[amyandkids]

At least its not only my birds!

 

[robbie1970]

How are your girls mine are laying again

 

[iwiw60]

I checked all my birds 3 hours after they went to roost last night, no mites no lice! There is no strange breathing, no runny noses or bubbly eyes all my girls have nice red combs, healthy birds! NOTHING has changed in the last 3 months, no new hens no lost hens, same feed same everything, so is there an illness a wild bird could have brought in that prevents laying with no symptoms?

I don't know what part of the country/world you live in, but here in the Pacific Northwest winter is the time of year when hens naturally slow down. This is due to shorter days, less sunlight, much colder temps, molting, etc. This is a natural part of a hen's life cycle. It sounds like you take very good care of your girls as do I, just be patient with them and soon winter will be on it's way out and your girls will once again be producing those beautiful eggs.

 

[robbie1970]

I live in south LOUISIANA we dont get very hard winters it rarely gets to freezing so winter is way better for me than summer when it is always around 100 with very high humidity so after july they slow way down I raise about 12 different breeds