Chickens not laying eggs for long time

[jowilt]

I, too am having laying problems. I have some 3 1/2 yr olds that I know proably have slowed down. Then I have some 1 1/2 yr olds that have really SLOWED down! I just got 13 girls that r approx 19 weeks at this point. Today I got 2 eggs! Yest 5!!!! Past appox 6 weeks had been getting 6,7,12 out of 30 hens! 3-4 weeks ago started getting only 2,5, 6 if I'm lucky. Been through done everything everyone has said above - guess I'll just wait them out n hope the new girls start soon! It is soooooo fustrating!!!!!

 

[junebuggena]

It's normal for hens over 2 years of age to slow down or stop producing eggs entirely in winter. For lighting to work, you have to gradually increase the amount of light they get, tricking their bodies into thinking spring is coming. It's also molting season, and molting birds don't lay.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have 20 hens and one rooster. 10 of my hens were laying eggs the other 10 were new so they never lay eggs. 2 weeks ago they stoped complitly . I put a red light for warm and an outside light with timer that's on at 5. In the morning and stops at 8 and then turn on at 6:30 and is off at 8:30. They have layer Mach with 20% calcium, clean water and I let out at 6 and they go to the coop by them self I don't know what else I can do to have them lay eggs again I spend a lots of money on them, but no eggs

Your protein level in the feed is fine unless it's being diminished by the other stuff. Is your layer feed 4% calcium? That is too much for non layers and can cause kidney issues in the long term. Plus slower growth in too young of birds. So oyster shell should be provided free choice at all times, but not mixed into anything.

I'm guessing with the wide range of what Sulmet treats that it might bot have been e coli. But what is important is she is OK now.

I might suggest that stop adding the evening light. Chickens don't see well in the dark so they may have a hard time finding their way back to the roost. It's not as startling when it comes on verses shutting off without warning.

I feel your pain. Raised 48 birds this year and none laid before 20 weeks, most later than that. It's late in the year already for us so many also won't even think about laying until next year. I do not supplement light. I am getting some eggs though. Mine are all still young so they won't be molting this year, but it's up to nature now. It is very frustrating to have that many birds and no eggs, I am sure!

Hopefully it will pass sooner than you realize!

ETA: I just realized I was responding to more than one post thinking they were the same. Sorry if I'm all jumbled up.

 

[aart]

I have 20 hens and one rooster. 10 of my hens were laying eggs the other 10 were new so they never lay eggs. 2 weeks ago they stoped complitly . I put a red light for warm and an outside light with timer that's on at 5. In the morning and stops at 8 and then turn on at 6:30 and is off at 8:30. They have layer Mach with 20% calcium, clean water and I let out at 6 and they go to the coop by them self I don't know what else I can do to have them lay eggs again I spend a lots of money on them, but no eggs

20% calcium!?!?...do you mean 20% protein?

 

[Meny73]

Aart, yes, 20% protein.

 

[Meny73]

I am sorry to bother you guys again . But I am getting frustrated my chicken still not laying. I give them something with the water that the IFA store told me. I have a rooster that is fighing with the chicken because he wants to get them but they don't let him, I am giving him away because he gets up at 4 in the morning to early for me. I thought that keeping him would help them to lay , but no changes and isn't that cold that should stop. Any help?

 

[junebuggena]

I am sorry to bother you guys again . But I am getting frustrated my chicken still not laying. I give them something with the water that the IFA store told me. I have a rooster that is fighing with the chicken because he wants to get them but they don't let him, I am giving him away because he gets up at 4 in the morning to early for me. I thought that keeping him would help them to lay , but no changes and isn't that cold that should stop. Any help?

Supplemental lighting only works if you gradually increase the amount of time, simulating the lengthening days of spring. Also, it's quite normal for hens over a year old to stop laying this time of year, even with supplemental lighting. Molting is another factor that will stop laying. Stress from an overenthusiastic rooster can also stop laying. Also, a coop and run that is too small can also affect production.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I am sorry to bother you guys again . But I am getting frustrated my chicken still not laying. I give them something with the water that the IFA store told me. I have a rooster that is fighing with the chicken because he wants to get them but they don't let him, I am giving him away because he gets up at 4 in the morning to early for me. I thought that keeping him would help them to lay , but no changes and isn't that cold that should stop. Any help?

Getting rid of your roo will probably help your girls to relax a little. Keeping him might actually be more stressful for them and slow laying.

 

[Meny73]

Hello. I am back with my chickens again. After doing all what you guys told me they staring to lay eggs again. For weeks . Then in january they stopped from one day to another, i checked if there was a hole where another animal would get in. Lights, food and everything. A lady told me they might have this bug so I bought this powder and to see if it works. Still no eggs. Having chickens was a pain I didn't know they were so much work and money with small rewards, very dessapinted .

 

[Spartan22]

Hello. I am back with my chickens again. After doing all what you guys told me they staring to lay eggs again. For weeks . Then in january they stopped from one day to another, i checked if there was a hole where another animal would get in. Lights, food and everything. A lady told me they might have this bug so I bought this powder and to see if it works. Still no eggs. Having chickens was a pain I didn't know they were so much work and money with small rewards, very dessapinted .

Sorry you had a bad experience, we have eggs all year long all the time. They pay for their own feeds and paid for their coop the 2nd year. We sell our eggs to offset feed cost. We had never thought of it as a lot of work (it was when I was building the the coop and run). With giving them fresh water everyday, filling feeders, and scooping their nightly droppings in the morning takes me 10-15 min tops, and collecting eggs late afternoon takes less than 5 min. And never use any powder or meds for my hens since they're happy and healthy. Hen keeping is not for everyone just like home ownership is not for everybody if you don't like upkeep and lawn mowing. Reason I do the chicken chores and yard work my wife didn't enjoy them but she enjoy fresh unwashed unrefregerated eggs.