chickens stopped laying

[alisonquinn07]

I have 4 chickens. 3 have not laid an egg for the last 2.5 months while the 4 lays almost every day. They are all about 2 years and 4 months old. What is going on? They free range in my back yard during the day. What is up with them? I thought hens can lay until they are 3 yrs old. Help me
Alison

 

[collingwood]

What are you feeding them? And also have they experienced any stress lately?

 

[alisonquinn07]

I feed them laying crumbles and there is no stress. They live the good life. Free range during the day in my back yard. It doenst get any better than that

 

[Den in Penn]

Welcome to BYC.
If they are though molting, check for hidden nests. The older chickens get the less they will lay and the longer it takes them to recover from molt.

 

[Michael Apple]

I have 4 chickens. 3 have not laid an egg for the last 2.5 months while the 4 lays almost every day. They are all about 2 years and 4 months old. What is going on? They free range in my back yard during the day. What is up with them? I thought hens can lay until they are 3 yrs old. Help me
Alison

A chicken utilizes around 7 grams of calcium to produce one egg. This is the time of year when most birds moult so it isn't uncommon for egg production to cease for awhile. Mix a good handful of well crushed oyster shell with feed. I prefer a feed that is between 17-20%, especially when birds are moulting. Granite grit is important too, but be conservative with scratch grains as there is little nutritional value compared to formulated feeds, and that nutrition is important. Put some poultry vitamin-mineral-electrolyte powder in waterers 3 days a week. Probiotics are important for proper digestion and the immune system. Probios is an excellent product and I use 1 teaspoon per gallon once a week.
Probios: http://www.probios.com/powdersgranules3.html

 

[ChickenRisa]

Most of my chickens are molting and pretty much all have stopped laying eggs. That's good to know about the calcium and the probiotics, I think I will give that a try to help them recover quicker.

 

[Michael Apple]

Most of my chickens are molting and pretty much all have stopped laying eggs. That's good to know about the calcium and the probiotics, I think I will give that a try to help them recover quicker.

Methionine and Lysine amino acids are important too. Methionine is listed in most chicken feed. Some nutritional yeast would be a good mix in feed once a week. It is loaded with B vitamins and amino acids. Take about 2-4 tsp of wheat germ oil and mix it for each pound of feed. Mix it thoroughly so most all the feed is coated. Then dump about 2 tsp of nutritional yeast powder in and mix it again thoroughly. Feed some to your birds that they eat it in half the day. The A,D, E, K vitamins and probiotics in the water will do them good 3 days a week.

 

[ChickenRisa]

Awesome, thanks!