Can someone help me with my eggless situation????

[carolina chicky]

So I have 8 laying hens together in the coop with attached run. They are all known to lay eggs and have been laying for a good 5 months now. The problem is that they have never been on a regular schedule with laying. Right now, I am only getting 1 egg a day ( 2 if I am lucky). Some have stopped laying completely. I am feeding the plenty of laying pellets, oyster shells and plenty of fresh water. A few weeks ago they all seemed to have some sort of respiratory problem so I treated them with Duramycin and while they were taking that, I got 5-6 eggs a day (Of course I couldn't eat those).
They seem to be over the respiratory thing, they are eating well, poop seems normal.
Anyone have any idea what I can to do get them to start laying better? Or maybe just help some of the ones who have stopped to start back??

 

[carolina chicky]

Oh yes, I have had the birds for 7 months and they have not been moved at all.

 

[carolina chicky]

C'mon anyone??

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

Gee, I don't know! I hope someone who DOES comes here soon!

 

[ace6175]

Wish I had more expertise with chickens, this is my first batch I've raised!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm new to this too, but is it possible they could be molting? Are they losing feathers?

 

[catdaddyfro]

If they're over there illness give them a couple weeks. Could be still a little stressed from being sick. They may have absorbed some of their yolks for extra energy while sick. If so it could be a few days to even a week or two to produce some more. Just give them a little extra TLC for a while and see how that does for them. You might try some whole oats or even a little Calf-Manna mixed in their pellets about 1to4 mix.

 

[cthrash1]

You can feed them a handful of catfood(something about it supposedly perks them up) or maybe buy some Kickin Chicken it has been known to help... Plus maybe put some electrolites in the water.

 

[koifarm]

Right now you're losing two minutes of daylight every day, it's just their circadian rythym telling them that winters coming and they willl probably go into molt and when they do, egg production slows or stops, their bodies need the shift to provide nutrients for feather production.
Just a guess, but look at your sunrise/sunset times. How much daylight do you have? You can possibly put a light in the coop on a timer but it may be too late if they have already gone into molting.
Ideally the hens need 15 hours of daylight to stay in a "reproductive mode" so when daylight drops below the magic number, they go into molt.
The only thing I'm not sure of is if you can snap them out of molt without throwing their bodies into shock.....try reading Storey's Guide to raising chickens.....or google and try and find out that way.
good luck.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

15 hours!!!????!!! I don't think we EVER have 15 hours of sunlight... now it's less than 12.... will my pullets EVER start laying? (21 weeks and counting)