2yr old hens not laying

[WDT79]

We have 10 hens (gold sex links (1.5 yrs old) & black sex links(2.5 yrs old). We live in central Texas & they have not molted since we got them 2 yrs ago. Our winters don't get too cold, but recently, it's been super cold for us & i think that a few might be molting.....but it seems too late for that? Problem is they stopped laying eggs a few weeks ago. Diet hasn't changed, lighting hasn't changed, no predators. One thing is that we stopped letting them free range in our backyard as they started getting into the neighbors yard & they asked to keep them on our property. There isn't a fence between us. The chickens have 1.5 acres behind our white fence that they can go....but they prefer our backyard where the grass is short & easy to peck in.

I'm really confused as to why they aren't laying any more? It's not age, or lighting, or diet. They aren't brooding, they aren't stressed that I can tell. Any ideas???

 

[ChickyChickens]

We have 10 hens (gold sex links (1.5 yrs old) & black sex links(2.5 yrs old). We live in central Texas & they have not molted since we got them 2 yrs ago. Our winters don't get too cold, but recently, it's been super cold for us & i think that a few might be molting.....but it seems too late for that? Problem is they stopped laying eggs a few weeks ago. Diet hasn't changed, lighting hasn't changed, no predators. One thing is that we stopped letting them free range in our backyard as they started getting into the neighbors yard & they asked to keep them on our property. There isn't a fence between us. The chickens have 1.5 acres behind our white fence that they can go....but they prefer our backyard where the grass is short & easy to peck in.

I'm really confused as to why they aren't laying any more? It's not age, or lighting, or diet. They aren't brooding, they aren't stressed that I can tell. Any ideas???

Could be thta thye just stopped laying...for what reason i do not know!! Hope other memebrs can think of something!

Sorry

 

[song of joy]

It's always fun trying to diagnose why hens stop laying!

Here are some potential ideas to consider:

1. They're getting ready to molt. I've noticed my hens stop laying a week or two before they go into a molt.

2. One of more of them is an "internal layer". This is something that high-production hens can suffer from. I've had a Rhode Island red and golden-laced wyandotte suffer from this.

3. They're genetically pre-disposed to lay well for a couple years and then stop or slow way down. This can be common with sex-link breeds. I suspect this happened with of one of my golden-laced wyandottes.

4. They're stressed from restrictions and/or lack of ability to free range, perhaps combined with over-crowding (as compared to their former condition).

5. They're stressed from a predator attack or attempted predator attack (e.g., dog, hawk, person, cat, raccoon, etc.)

6. They're hiding eggs.

If you're seeing this in only a few hens, it may be #1, 2, 3 or 6 (above), but if you're seeing this in the whole flock, it's probably due to some type of stress (#4 or 5).