Completely stopped laying

[WillJMA]

Hey Guys,

I've got 6 hens, 4 pullets and 2 ex-battery hens at around 18 months old, the two of which are my only layers and have laid 6/7 days no problem for the last 3 months.

Recently one stopped laying, and about 2 weeks later the other stopped also. Not a single egg in about 10 days now.

It's getting colder here in the UK, so i'm wondering if they're going into moult? I also got a 25K bag of mixed corn so i've added 1 scoop to every 5 scoops of layers pellets. I wonder if it's coincidence that since i've added the small amount of corn they don't want to lay?

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[boskelli1571]

Hi there,
Welcome to the coop!

I strongly suspect you have the beginnings of the molt happening. I would up the protein in their feed to 18-20% to help them replace feathers etc. I would only give them a handful of corn in the evenings before bedtime, that way they will have a full crop to keep them warm overnight.
They will start laying again - when they are good and ready!

 

[WillJMA]

Thanks for the reply. I thought that might have been the case, there are feathers on the coop floor in the mornings.

I thought it might have to do with the corn i was giving them in their regular feed. Ill restrict the corn until the evenings in future and see how it goes.

Probably no eggs now until Spring

 

[aart]

I wouldn't add any corn to their diet, they need more protein to regrow feathers.

I like to feed a 'flock raiser' 20% protein crumble to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat.

The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer.

Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

Animal protein (mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided during molting and if I see any feather eating.

 

[bigt447]

Cut out the corn. It's only 8% protein. They need much more. Heat for them comes from calories, whatever its source.