Chickens Not Laying. Help.

[donnerbrandpears]

Hi. I have three hens and they haven't laid for over a month and a half. I'm very frustrated. Two are about two years old and one is four years old. I've never had problems before. They look healthy. They don't have mites, they're energetic, and don't seem sick at all. They aren't molting or about to molt. I don't know what's wrong.

It doesn't seem to be diet. They're eating a standard lay mash. I've added more protein in their diet (mealy worms) and oyster shells. I started letting them out more so they could get more sunlight and forage. Nothing is making any difference.

I would really appreciate any suggestions you could give me.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Where are you located? Mine are starting to slow and stop. The molt is already beginning. The older the hens the less they lay.

 

[Eyeheartmydogs]

I too am having problems with my hens not laying. It's been like forever. I had 5 hens and 1 rooster... I recently lost a hen while we were away. So I don't know if it's trauma... One of my hens was roosting on her nest for way too long. I finally had to remove her from the nest and put her with the others. I feel lately there has been a change to the heirarchy because they are all acting weird. Before my rooster always had his girls with him, now it seems like he has one or two and the others are forced to stay away. I don't get it. They are all free range. They come out of their coop in the morning and go in by themselves at night. For the past couple weeks we've been closing them in at night, and letting them out in the late afternoons. Any suggestions? I even bought eggs from the store and told them about it hoping it would shame them into laying again.

 

[snow5164]

I’ll suggest you powder /spray for mites/Lice even if you don’t see anything , I have a hen who hasn’t laid for a few weeks on the second check in the sunshine I saw the lice... very easy to miss .
Could be moulting too , but this won’t hurt to dust nesting boxes and their butts
Good luck

 

[ellie62706]

sun

 

[aart]

Where are you located? Mine are starting to slow and stop. The molt is already beginning. The older the hens the less they lay.

Yeppers! They often slow or stop laying before you see the feathers start to fall.

 

[donnerbrandpears]

One of them does have a few feather lice. I've never treated for that before. Should I just spray the chickens with a mite spray? That seems like it will be fun.

I'm in Northern California, btw.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Definitely treat for external parasites if you are seeing them. Treat once a week for 3-4 weeks to break the life cycle. Treat all birds, roosts cracks and nestboxes.

 

[donnerbrandpears]

Ok I did it. Unpleasant. I'm not seeing a change yet. Would a few lice be enough to stop them from laying?