Chickens Have Stopped Laying Eggs

[Shepfahey]

I have 7 hens and 3 roosters. I got them in May as chicks. They began laying eggs in late summer early fall though I was only getting 3 or 4 a day since going into winter they have stopped laying all together. They are in a coop in the barn with an outside pen as well. My husband gave them a light on a sensor so at dark it comes on and goes off in the morning. Could it be too much light? Do they need darkness?

 

[sourland]

Adjust the timer so that they have approximately 14 hours of day light. Yep, they like to sleep too.

 

[LilRedRoo]

We have a light on a timer set similarly to what Broody mentioned. When we first got our flock started I checked the earliest sunrise times and latest sunset times for our area, then the latest sunrise and earliest sunset... and the lights come on in the morning for the early sunrise and stay on until 30 minutes after what would be the latest sunrise. Then in the evening they come 30 minutes before the earliest sunset, and go off at the latest. We've gotten just as many eggs per day this fall/winter as we did though last spring and summer. The main difference we notice is that they come into the coop from the field earlier in the shorter days of the cool season, so we are going through a little more feed than in the warm season.

Timer example (depends on you location) - on from 5:30 am - 8:30 am; on from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm...check your local norms.

 

[gander007]

Adjust the timer so that they have approximately 14 hours of day light. Yep, they like to sleep too.

X2 ,,,, Have you tried to feed the hens some laying mash even a hand full a day
and what type of hen's do you have some times this is important ......

gander007

 

[gander007]

And welcome to BYC !!!!!!!!