Girls suddenly stopped laying

[chickgrrl]

I have 2 Delaware's and they are pea's in a chicken pod. They waited forever to lay and had their first egg on the same day - day before Thanksgiving.

Well, now we have suddently stopped together. I have moved them to the garage for the winter to stay warmer (they're spoiled) but they get a lot of light and were laying every day. I've had them in there a while - over a month I'd say, but the other day I turned the coop around and I put a plastic tarp over the top to try to lessen the dust from the straw.

Did they stop laying because they're stressed from the move or from the tarp and do you think they'll get back to laying? Thanks

 

[Ghostbelly]

i think they are molting

 

[chickgrrl]

They are only about 7 months old - do they molt based on weather?

 

[Ghostbelly]

yah i think so

 

[08ditchy]

Molt mine been for 6weeks now

 

[Den in Penn]

They are stressed out from the move. Once they get used to the repositioning in the garage they should start again.
A natural molt is caused by the change in the lenght of the day. It can also be caused by stressing them. The move should not have been enough to cause them to lose feathers.

 

[chickgrrl]

And they havent lost many feathers - there are always a few in the straw but they don't have missing feathers anywhere on them. Maybe the move - the stress of being a chicken!