Hanging out in the poop

[Abril1127]

I have a hen, she is a year and half old. She came to us in early October and stopped laying for 7 weeks. She layed for a week - 10 days every other day and has now stopped again. She spends a lot of time in the hay at the bottom of the coop, in the poop field. She has green grass available to her several times a week and fresh hay in the nesting box. I have 4 hens, one is only 3 months old. 1 started laying 3 weeks ago and is amazing, pretty much 1 egg a day. The other are not laying.

What do you think is going on with her? Is it possible that the one that is laying won't share the box? Only one large box. (probably 3ft wide by 1.5 deep.)

She has gotten very skittish too. I wonder if my kids friends chased her.

 

[Bridebeliever]

If your hen is 1 1/2 this is likely her second laying season. It's very natural for them to stop or REALLY slow down their laying in the winter months. Is she molting? That also slows, to completely stops egg laying. And FYI, when your chickens go through a molt you should increase their feed protein back up to at least 16-18% because growing feathers need a lot of protein.

So back to your other birds. They have just become POL (point of lay) and many times when they reach this place in October or November they will lay through the winter, no problem. Don't expect this same production from these same birds next winter though.

Hope this helps!