Fading comb's on young birds, stoped laying also. Any ideas?

[3b's microfarm]

We have 3 Barred Rocks and 2 Buff Orpingtons. 4 birds are almost 1 year old and stoped laying. The one that is laying is an Orpington. Her comb is very red and colorful, the others are fading pinkish. Is this a normal break in the egg laying cycle, or are they already oven bound? Thanks much Walt

 

[Ema]

eager to find out cause a few of my RIR's are doing this too....

 

[tinychicky]

could they be molting? it may just be because its winter, too. not all of my hens are laying, either.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Some young ones have a minimolt at 9 months.
I am wondering, too, because we have two RIRs that hatched in April. They were both laying regularly then suddenly only one! The layer has a bright comb. The nonlayer is pale and her feathers look a bit thin.
The only ones we now have laying are last spring's hatch. When is Spring gonna get here????

 

[BrianT]

Maybe they just don't wanna lay anymore eggs for you. They probably feel eggsploited.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Mine are going through a molt right now and I am only getting 3 eggs a day from 8 hens. They were born in early april. They look horrible right now because of the molt. I am giving them extra protein to help them with their regrowth of feathers. I guess we are all waiting for spring!

 

[BethieofVA]

My birds are just a year and are having a minimolt, around the head and neck. They are not laying at all. I look forward to spring.

 

[chics in the sun]

Yep, my Barred Rock was born late February, and she looks terrible - and no eggs. My Marans quit laying a few weeks before she did, and she is exactly two weeks older. Somehow she doesn't look quite so ragged, but I do miss her big eggs. I need to up the protein for them. Maybe I'll buy some yogurt on the way home today.

 

[spiritdance]

3b's microfarm :

We have 3 Barred Rocks and 2 Buff Orpingtons. 4 birds are almost 1 year old and stoped laying. The one that is laying is an Orpington. Her comb is very red and colorful, the others are fading pinkish. Is this a normal break in the egg laying cycle, or are they already oven bound? Thanks much Walt

I doubt this is it because it's so many of them, but broody hens' combs fade when they start going broody ... wow, that would be some kind of wierdness if they all went broody at once, and at this time of year!!! ... anyway, I think I'd suspect low iron/protein instead. Could they be wormy? Do they get a lot of their protein and iron from free ranging? if so, maybe you just need to supplement them during winter. Sometimes a little yogurt can help them process the nutrients in their feed a little better.​

 

[3b's microfarm]

Wonderful advice from all, I'll check on the iron and protien content, they get purina layiena pellets in the am and some scrach in the afternoon as a treat, then in there "social time" there grazing in the yard. I'll look into a yougart combo maybe with the cracked corn and keep a close eye on the girls, we'll see in spring. Thanks again