coop change and now stopped laying

[joebcarr]

hey eggers,

i have 5 white leghorns, 5 barred rock and an ameraucana. all two years old. i was getting about 8-9 eggs a day, its been a couple months since a bunch molted.

i just did a pre-winter revamp of the coop and now all my hens stopped laying. along with a total cleaning, i changed the roost location, built a new and different ladder, new waterer, and added a dust box, also covered part of the run and made a new roost out there. this was about a 12 days ago and i havent got an egg since. most of the combs are a nice red, but no eggs.... switched from crumbles to pellets a few weeks ago, but had eggs since then. i also started adding more of a variety of food like an occasional apple, pumpkin seeds and mealworms.

i know this is a lot of change in a short time and i expected a lil shock, but i was wondering how long should i expect to be buying eggs?

 

[gritsar]

The coop changes probably threw them off their game a bit but also, the days are getting shorter. Oh those three breeds only the barred rocks are known to be good winter layers.

The way it's always worked with my birds, that I brood from day olds in spring or very early summer, is that the first year everybody lays at least fairly well during their first winter; even if they aren't a breed known for exceptional winter laying. If they aren't great winter layers, the winter slowdown will come in their second winter.