Egg production has stopped

[frugal farmer]

It's the end of February in north central Indiana. I have "fake light" for the 20+ hens and 3 roosters. I was averaging 7-8 eggs a day all winter. A week ago the production dropped off to 0-1 egg a day. Half the flock is old half is young. I understand they stop laying to molt and when they get old they "dry up" also. I don't see feather loss indicating a molt. My question is do they all molt at the same time and what could my other options be. I also give an electro light in their water with it being so cold right now...

 

[familyfarm1]

I wouldn't be worried mine do this all the time in the winter.

 

[frugal farmer]

How long does it last

 

[aart]

Odd time for egg production to drop off, especially that aburptly.....mine have started to pick up with the lengthening of the days, and I use supplemental lights too.

Has anything changed in the coop...new birds, predator event, temporary loss of water, change in feed????

What is an 'electro light in their water'?

 

[Cindy in PA]

This is odd. My 11 chickens will be 3 years old in April & are eating 16% layer with scratch for a treat everyday. They have light all winter. They have been in their coop nonstop for almost 5 weeks because of the snow. I am getting 5-9 eggs per day for the last few weeks. The 4 EEs have been laying all winter with about a month off to molt. The Welsummers took 4 whole months off for the second year in a row, but are laying like gang busters now. My production started increasing in mid December just like it does every year.

 

[frugal farmer]

I put vi-tal in their water. It's from big r. It's for when the weather is extreme one way or the other. It helps them keep electro lights and vitamins in their systems. I give it to the hogs and cattle also. I had a bantum die but the 3 of them were the bottom dwellers and this happened after the drop off had already started. There is a young rooster challenging the "big dog" and at times I think he has won the coop. Other than that I can't figure it out. Same feed same water same lighting. It's to cold for them to be outside. I let them out a couple weeks ago when it was about 40 and they loved it but it's been in the teens at best here again since then so I don't want them outside.

 

[aart]

Oooohhhhh electrolytes.

How do you keep your water thawed out?
Rooster battles/cockerel coming into maturation can cause enough stress to stop laying, happened with mine last winter....I removed the cockerel and the eggs started flowing again.

How big is your coop(feet by feet) and how many birds?
Crowding stress can cause cessation of lay also.