Ameracaunas not laying anymore!

[kristenm1975]

I'm taking care of three mature Ameracauna gals for our landlady and until about a week and a half ago, at least one of them would lay each day, generally two. Slowly, it's decreased until now, when we haven't had any blue eggs for a week.

I'm in the Pacific Northwest and the weather has just taken a turn for the gray and rainy after unseasonably sunny and warm days. Do you think it's just that? I don't know for sure how old these gals are. Is it possible they've just run out of steam? Or is it possible I'm messing up on the feed rations and they aren't getting enough to eat?

I'm feeding about 18 chickens about 4-5 cups of organic layer mash every morning, plus throwing in grass clippings, and kitchen scraps. Is this enough do you suppose? Oh yeah, and I'm also sprinkling in about a cup of wheat berries every day too.

What gives? Time for a light in the coop?

 

[bigzio]

Yep, when the daylight deminishes to less than 14 hours a day, the the additional light is necessary for optimum laying....add it to the AM hours , so the flock can go to roost in a normal fasion, and not be caught on the coop floor in the dark.....

bigzio

 

[cmom]

Could be light. Just changing their routine can slow them down. There can be a lot of different factors.

 

[crooked stripe]

How much light do you need. I have 6 chickens and now I only get 2 eggs a day. Here in Ohio we are getting 12 hours of sun lite a day. This will be rapidly declining. 5 eggs was the norm. John

 

[bigzio]

Just a simple 40 watt bulb for a small coop will provide all the additional light needed for optimum laying.

Just gotta love those pretty hens, eh?

bigzio

 

[ole-crone]

Our 'green egg layers' have stopped laying too. I wonder if they are just on a different 'clock' than the others.

 

[nakactress]

Quote:
ditto!! Frustrating, I miss my green eggs

 

[CATRAY44]

Mine has too. She is about 2 years old. She had her 18 month molt and looks beautiful now, but has not returned to laying her beautiful eggs. She is the first one in the coop to roost at night, way ahead of the sun setting. I have wondered if her clock is a little different than the other, too.