I'm a somewhat new chicken owner. My hen, Gertrude, has been laying for about 2 months. Last week she stopped laying! I live in the mountains in Utah and wondered if the temp has anything to do with it? The thing is, the temp really didn't drop a lot until a few days ago?? Is this normal? Could it be stress??
It may be her molting season. Chicken molt in the fall or sometimes spring. If she has no sign of illness Then I would bet thats it. My chickens just started to lay again ( it lasts about 2 weeks), I hope this helps. Oh I forgot. It is the molt if you see alot of feathers on the ground.
Thank you!!! That helps A lot!! Yes I have seen a lot of feathers in the coop and she seems just fine! I have eleven chickens total. 10 hens and oops, a rooster! She and the rooster are the oldest. The others are younger, 4 should start laying soon and 5 in a few months. But molting would explain what is going on!
No problem. Same thing happen to me about 4 or 5 years ago when I started. need anything just PM me. or write a topic, there are alot of helpful people here.
I have a young (March hatch) Amerucauna that I think just stopped laying two weeks ago. I say I "think" because they free range during the day and I guess it is possible that she may be laying somewhere else, but I have never caught her and she is running around with the others (not broody). I wondered about molting, but I have only seen 6 or 7 feathers in the coop - granted they are all hers but I expected more laying around and I also thought she might look a bit scraggly. She seems to be healthy (full feathers and active) - could she be molting? I sure miss those pretty blue eggs - how long will it last?