Chickens Stopped Laying Eggs?

[Shkoda]

I have two 1 year old chickens who were laying eggs regularly. About three weeks ago, they stopped laying eggs though. I was told that I over fed them and they got too fat, which causes them to stop laying eggs. How much should I be feeding the chickens per day? I used to just put their food into their feeder, and they would eat all the food within a day. Therefore, I started sprinkling their food onto the ground each morning instead. Another thing I should add; since my chickens are together with my 10 week old chicks, they all eat chick starter/grower feed and there's a box of oyster shell. Maybe that's the problem?

 

[Alaskan]

i free feed my hens....

I have a giant feeder that i fill up as needed, so there is always feed for them.

My hens lay just fine, they slow down a great deal in the winter time, especially because it gets so dark here.

But then, as the day light starts to return, they start to lay again.

Some hens take a long month or so break when they molt, and some take a long several month break, if they keep trying to go broody.

Also, some of your higher production breeds (Like Golden Comets or Production Reds) produce gloriously the first year, pretty well the second, and very poorly the third. Of course, your hens are just now a year old, so now matter what breed they are, that wouldnt be the problem.


you don't say where you are located...if you are in Australia, this might be a normal winter rest. If you are in the northern Hemisphere, then perhaps they are molting.