Chicken stopped layinge eggs dead in tracks

[kdresh]

It seems alot of people are having same problem, but mine stopped about 2 months ago... I have 10 chickens and 5 of them are to young to lay at the moment. The leghorn laid 3 this past week but stopped, it could be now cause of the shorter day light hours, but I am more concerned about the adults. They are between 1-3 years old. I was reading about not enough calcium could be culprit but I am afraid to give them more then what is in the layer feed. I give them fresh water each day and 3 days a week I let them free range in my yard. The other four days they stay in their run roughly 150 square feet. We went from average 25 a week to 1 a day. One of the adults started laying a week ago!

I am going to get a light and timer to help with that aspect, but should I perhaps put a fan or vent in the coop. Do i need to put a light outside in the run as well?
There are days it reaches 80+ degrees inside the coop and if so will the noise from the fans stop them from laying or will they get used to the noise?
I do live door open all the time so they can go to the run freely. I live in Florida if that is needed to know.

Im new to the forums so will add intro with my chicken family when i get off.


PS The 6 youngings we got 7 months ago and 4 adults about 3 months ago.

 

[Happy Chooks]

The adults are likely molting, or getting ready to. Have you seen a lot of feathers around? It's completely normal for older birds to stop laying in the fall.

 

[kdresh]

I thought that too but very little feathers spread out over the months. not sure if it from the adults or the young ones. My first fall season with chickens, not sure what to look for with molting others then feathers. So they lose a lot of feathers? How long does it last?
The youngest adult is the only one laying right now. Shell on the egg is pretty thick so i presume calcium is good but do the older ones need a little boost perhaps?
I have noticed one of the young leghorn's trying to establish a new pecking order, from the way it looks at least.


Sorry for all the questions. Do not want to see anything happen to my feathery kids.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

During a chicken's first adult molt, they change out ALL of their old feathers for new Spring ones.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Molting can be gradual, or a massive explosion of feathers. It averages 3 months with my birds, some are a bit faster, some a bit slower.