girls have stopped laying

[hinchbug]

In the last week my 3 Buffs and black austrolorp have stopped laying. They layed all through the winter almost an egg a day (they are 1 yr old). Nothing is different, eating layer crumbles and leftover veggies with 24 hr water. Light bulb on (we live in Montana)- any other suggestions?

 

[digitS']

If everything has remained the same . . . critters? . . . . something scare them or mice in the coop?

Steve

 

[chickensforever]

Do you think they could be going into molt? They stop laying for up to three weeks while they lose and regrow their feathers. It's weird that they all stopped at the same time though, normally they're staggered a little more.

 

[hinchbug]

Molt, hadn't thought of that. I doubt the predator thing, have never seen any evidence or heard the girls complain. How many years do ladies lay anyway?

 

[digitS']

They should lay fairly well for several more years. At only 1 year old, I wouldn't expect them to be molting. Illness or some other stress may bring on a molt.

Even with a light in the coop, I would expect them to be on a fairly normal cycle of molting at about 18 months of age, in the Fall. You aren't very far from me and my flocks characteristically molt in October.

"Several Reasons Why Your Hens May Stop Laying Eggs"

Steve

 

[vscarma]

My chicken "Jeffrey" started laying eggs at about 6 mos.( 1 per day) She will be a year in 2 weeks. In the last few days she doesn't want to go outside, she is pulling out her feathers, her stomach is bare ( 2" x 5") area, she stopped laying eggs .. the last egg she laid she has been sitting on ever since.. I'm new at this but I don't see how it could have been fertilized. There are a few younger chickens up at the farm but no roosters..Jeffrey is a big black chicken, I'm sorry I don't know her breed..I think she was supposed to lay blue eggs..anyway I am worried about her..she's usually so personable and now she doesn't want to come out of her cage.. any thoughts?

 

[digitS']

I think "Jeffrey" is showing you that she want's to be a momma.

Setting on unfertilized eggs won't make a difference to her hormones. Setting on no eggs at all is a possibility.

I think that is the extent of the reason but I have very little experience allowing hens to go broody. You can do a search on "breaking a broody" if you don't want her to take a 3 week vacation. Or, just allow her to have her time off. She will eat next to nothing, so her upkeep won't amount to anything.

BTW - that name reminds me of Beverley or Carroll or Ashley. Names that were once fairly common for men . . . 'Cept, I don't think "Jeffrey" was amongst them

.

Good luck with her.

Steve