Buff Orpingtons Hens not Laying

[mo122]

Hello everyone,

I have been having a problem recently with my hens. I have 3 Buffs and all of them stopped laying eggs. One is 18 months old and the other two are 9 months old. The 18 months old stopped laying around June and the other two around later September. Their comb have also become more pale ( they do not look bright red to me), and somehow flipped over. They are eating and drinking fine. I did not notice any weird thing in their poop or any sign of worms. I do not think they are molting either. There was weird attack on the coop around August 20 that killed one of my chickens (I had 4 originally). I never found out which animal could be, but nothing after that. The food is also good quality food. Not much change in their cage. Any thoughts? It is really a puzzle to me. I am not sure how to post a picture here so please let me know how I can do that.

Many thanks,

Mo

 

[mo122]

Please see the photos here attached.

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Did you raise them yourself or did you buy them as adults?

 

[mo122]

I raised all of them by myself since they were a baby. In fact, the two are the baby of the mom (which is shown in the first picture as alone chicken)).

 

[ChickenLeg]

Mine have slowed down and stopped aince the cold weather started coming in, even after molting only a couple started back. My chickens tend to take a long break from fall til early spring then they lay hard the rest of the year. If youre not concerned with eggs during the winter then I wouldnt worry too much as long as they seem to be in good health and no mite/lice problem. Pale combs are a giod indicator of hens not laying, Id put money theyre gunna start laying real well come early spring.

 

[Chickenhappy8708]

Hm, is it possible that they are laying in a hidden spot?

 

[mo122]

I am in a warm climate (California), and they do free range (once or twice a week) but i check them all the time to ensure they are not laying everywhere. It is easy to spot them if they are laying as I check them frequently. Also the fact that the mother stopped laying since June sounds weird to me and the followed by her babies (9 months old now). I did not see any sign of mite/lice at all. I was wondering if somehting is bothering them that stopped them from laying.
Once other note is that the mother did lay all year round last year (maybe a bit less in the winter but she never stopped laying throughout the year). This makes me wonder if something could be wrong.

 

[ChickenLeg]

I am in a warm climate (California), and they do free range (once or twice a week) but i check them all the time to ensure they are not laying everywhere. It is easy to spot them if they are laying as I check them frequently. Also the fact that the mother stopped laying since June sounds weird to me and the followed by her babies (9 months old now). I did not see any sign of mite/lice at all. I was wondering if somehting is bothering them that stopped them from laying.
Once other note is that the mother did lay all year round last year (maybe a bit less in the winter but she never stopped laying throughout the year). This makes me wonder if something could be wrong.

Those combs look like hens who arent laying, Im not familiar with hot weather year round. I live in West TN where its upper 80s and 90s with 90% humidity all summer but when winter comes its freezing alotta nights with highs of 40s and 50s, so laying tends to slow down. My birds are also not raised for egg production so Im sure that adds to the fact I dont see many eggs in the winter. Have you picked them up and noticed them weighing less than they usta?

 

[mo122]

I think they are weighing a bit less and they seem a bit (not a lot) skinnier. I did add a bit of whole corn to their feed recently in addition to the crumbles. Also fed them some cooked boiled eggs and mealworms (not a lot). I am just curious to know if there is a disease, a worm issue or just natural event, and whether they will lay again. I do not want to wait forever and find out they wont lay anymore

 

[aart]

they do free range (once or twice a week)

Do they live in that crate the rest of the time?