Chickens slowed down laying in the snow

[jamiel]

Has any 1 else's chickens stopped laying or slowed down, I no some 1 els with chickens and his are still laying, it was -7 last night, and I'm from uk

 

[dretd]

Good morning from Colorado and

All of my chickens stopped laying over a month ago. We do not use supplemental lighting and they always stop about a month before solstice and then will resume within the next month. Some breeds are more likely to keep laying (leghorns and Sex Links are two). I have all heritage breeds and they stop when the days grow short.

I like to give their little bodies a break and I think it helps them build up their bones and body condition. I have not found a correlation with low temps, per se other than we get cold temps when the days are short. Is the -7 degrees Celsius (that's about 20 degrees F)? Last winter we got down to -30 F (that's about -34 C) and the girls did great.

ETA: just went out and one of the girls gave me an egg, probably yesterday! It was -6F (-21C) yesterday am when I got up and it was a balmy 27F this morning--we must be having a heat wave!

Also note: decreased egg laying can be a result of other conditions besides decrease photo period (short days). If it were one chicken, she could be ill, if it is the flock there may be a problem with stress including lack of clean water and proper diet, and feeling unsettled or unsafe, so do check those things also.

 

[Rmstuck]

2 of my 6 have continued to lay but I have not gotten an egg from the other 4 in a few days.