girls on strike!!

[krako79]

hi folks.
got 6 girls, 1 year old. had a good winter of laying with a light. (east coast) now they are on strike. the time change, day light hours etc. i'm down to 1-3 a day sometimes none; but what's worse, 2 are dropping eggs when they go up to roost. the shells are soft. they have oyster shells, etc. any ideas? turn the light back on? lock them in the coop to get their 'clock' back on schedule?? thanks mike

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Here is a good thread that covers most of the reasons why your hens may not be laying https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/423023/why-arent-my-chickens-laying-here-are-your-answers How old are your girls now? What are you feeding them? How does their condition seem otherwise, acting fine, feathers in good shape etc, you might want to give everybody a very thorough physical exam, article with a nice checklist for a health check http://www.communitychickens.com/2012/07/9-point-comb-to-toe-chicken-check-up.html#.U1h5DqJW_bM
With multiple hens laying shell-less or thin shelled eggs I would be concerned that you have a nutritional issue or something else going on with the whole flock, the Poultry Site article lists some possible causes you might want to look into. http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs
You might like to check out the BYC Learning Center, lots of good articles on all aspects of chicken keeping. https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

 

[krako79]

thanks so much! with the exception of one, their condition, behavior and droppings appear fine. after a tough new england winter, they have new feathers, and look good.it's interesting; the winter was brutal, they looked rough, took a beating and yet kept laying. and now it's spring and we're in a funk??? had one brooder, isolated her and it stopped. i think it's the light/no light daytime issue. i have thrown them off.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Kelsie has left you with some great links. If you have had a recent cold snap, this can also stop the laying cycle.

Good luck and I hope your hens start laying soon!

 

[gander007]

 

[drumstick diva]

The girls may be on strike because the LIGHT ON kept them laying through winter, when they would have taken a rest break. They are probably worn out from all those days of laying.

Hens are born with all the ova(eggs) they will have in their life, if artificial light keeps them laying year round, they will just run out of their lifetime eggs sooner.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

I'd have to disagree with Drumstick Diva on one thing. Yes, hens made to lay all winter may be tired out from it and stop laying/slow down in laying. But, it isn't because they've run out of ova. When a female chick is born, it is born with 13,000-14,000 ova already inside of it. A chicken will never run out of that number (it would require laying 365 days per year, for 35 years).

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

X2 on Wyandottes7's advice and thoughts.