Do they stop laying when it's hot?

[Nichole77]

I used to get about an egg a day but not recently. And other people with chickens have said that they don' t really lay in the summer. If they don't lay in the summer or when they molt then when do they lay?

 

[dangerouschicken]

When there is enough daylight AND they are not stressed.

 

[1acrefarm]

Mine always lay great in summer. I guess that Arizona heat is probably stressing them though. I have heard of people freezing milk jugs and 2 liter bottles of water and putting them in coop to cool the chickens. They lay on or near them I assume. I have never tried it but it seems like it could help. Maybe you could step up your ventilation just a thought.

 

[Nichole77]

Mine are very free range. I could not put them in a coop here. They have a house with a roof and sides like an ark. But free they can go under the trees or porch. They lay in the grass around the trees where it is long and cooler. I did put out frozen jugs.

 

[VaM715]

I was getting about 25 eggs a day until this heat wave hit VA. Now I'm down to about 6 a day. Same thing happened last year. I do notice my cochins tend to lay better year 'round than my other birds.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I live in South Louisiana and mine have slowed down tremendously.