Chickens not laying

[Team01]

Need some help. I have about 25 hens that are only laying about 3 or 4 eggs a day. They have clean water all the time. They may 18% lay crumble with 3 different types of herbs mixed in. They are on 17 hours of light. They get works and scratch as a treat. With all that I still only get 3 or 4 eggs. What else can I do to increase egg production. They also have clean nest boxes. Please help

 

[FrostRanger]

They might be molting rn in which case they won't lay until they're done no matter what you do. Also, I would cut back on the treats as that can throw off the balance of the nutrition they're getting from feed. Also how old are your birds?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Where are you located, north or south of the equator? There are different things that can cause hens to not lay but if you are north of the equator the molt is almost certain to be your main problem. Are you seeing loose feathers flying around?

How old are they? What has been their laying history for the past couple of years.

Are they kept in a run or are they allowed to free range?

When did you start the 17 hour light regimen? How long ago?

Are they acting healthy?

 

[Team01]

They might be molting rn in which case they won't lay until they're done no matter what you do. Also, I would cut back on the treats as that can throw off the balance of the nutrition they're getting from feed. Also how old are your birds?

They are about 1 year old. They have been laying this way for about 4 months now

 

[Team01]

Where are you located, north or south of the equator? There are different things that can cause hens to not lay but if you are north of the equator the molt is almost certain to be your main problem. Are you seeing loose feathers flying around?

How old are they? What has been their laying history for the past couple of years.

Are they kept in a run or are they allowed to free range?

When did you start the 17 hour light regimen? How long ago?

Are they acting healthy?

I live in Prunedale , Ca about 20 miles from Monterey. Yes , there are loose feathers on the ground.
They are about 1 1/2 years old.
They were laying anywhere fro 13 to 26 eggs a day
They are in a run the size of run is 20' x 40' with the coop attached
I put the light on them in July 2024
They are very healthy and active
Here is an egg count This is for the last 5 months
June 333. July 320. August 254. Sept 164. Oct 172.
You can see how they have dropped in laying eggs

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks for that info. It makes it pretty clear what is happening.

Chickens evolved to lay eggs and hatch chicks during the good weather months, then stop laying when the weather was getting worse for raising chicks. They use what nutrition they have to replace worn out feathers (ie, the molt) instead of using it for eggs. Then they start laying and hatching chicks in the spring when better weather conditions return.

When we domesticated them we selectively bred them to lay a lot more eggs and to not go broody as often, if at all. But the vast majority still stop laying eggs and molt when the days get shorter in the fall/winter.

Some hens will not start laying after the molt until the days get longer in the spring. But due to that selective breeding many will start laying again when they finish with the molt. Some hens might finish the molt in a month, some may take as long as 5 months. Most will be somewhere in between.

What I would expect to happen is that egg laying should pick up some in another month or so. Probably by March or April (hopefully sooner) you should be getting a lot of nice eggs. They should keep laying well throughout the summer until they molt again next fall. It is a normal natural cycle they go through.

With your 17 hours of light they should not notice the days getting shorter so you might think they would skip the molt and keep laying. There is something different going on. After laying constantly for a period of time their bodies get worn out. They need to rest their bodies to recharge and start laying again. The commercial egg laying operations notice a significant drop-off in number and quality of eggs after 13 to 15 months of continuous lay and have to make a decision. Do they force a molt to get production back up or do they replace those hens with new ones? Your chickens are probably different breeds than the commercial hybrids they use so your schedule may be a bit different but they still wear out. At 1-1/2 years old yours have probably been laying for a year. Even without the days getting shorter because of your lights production can really drop.

 

[FrostRanger]

If it has also been very hot this summer that can also negatively impact laying and as ridgerunner said they could also just be taking a break, hens do that from time to time

 

[MamaPoult]

I'm not sure if this is useful but I live in Alaska, we're getting about 7ish hours of light right now. I have supplement with 12 hours of artificial light but I've found that my chickens will not lay if I use an LED bulb. I use a 60w incandescent bulb now. Also, whenever my hens aren't laying for no apparent reason I like to cook them up some lentils for a "jump start". Everyone's flock is different but this works everytime for my girls. The methionine and lysine in the lentils boosts my girls. If you're interested any type will work and you just cook them until soft. The ratio is 3:1 cook on medium heat until they soak up most of the water and become soft. Feed in moderation because too much can cause diarrhea. If there's an underlying issue this obviously won't help but if they just need a boost it's my go-to. Good luck!