Help! Hens seem to have stopped laying :(

[Shane17]

I also have had production cut in half. My 8 hens were hatched Feb. 22. The started laying good in mid July. Last Friday I had 1 egg. This comes after nearly 2 months of 5-7 sometime 8 a day. Saturday I had 2 and Sunday 3. Its been 3 all week. Now I'm not sure if its a lack of daylight. I estimate there is about 2 hours less daylight today as there was in July and August. I have noticed a few small clusters of feathers from a couple different hens. Not sure if its a molt of they just got rowdy in the pen! They do not appear to look any different. One other variable is I ran out of there normal brand of feed and bought another brand from a different store. Which brings up another thought. I think they go through too much feed. 8 Hens 50lbs in 3 weeks. I feel up a 5 gal homemade feeder once a week. They also free range whenever I'm home at least 4 hours a day and all day on weekends or when we are home.

any suggestions???

 

[terry97601]

I have 8 Orpington, 8 Barred Rock, 4 Golden Sexlink, 4 Black Sexlink, 2 Light Brahma, & 1 Frizzle. For a total of 27 hens, they've been laying an average of 20 eggs per day then they ran out of food while I was out of town and were without for about 24 hours and they quit laying. I'm getting 1-2 per day instead of 20!!!! It all happened the day they ran out of food, I find it hard to believe it's the weather, any suggestions to get them to start laying again, it's been 1 1/2 weeks now.

 

[Den in Penn]

Hi to terry97601 welcome to BYC.
Withholding food causes stress, and stress can stop them laying. Withholding food was one way producers used to get their 18 month hens to start molt and resume laying as quickly as possible. Don't know when yours will resume laying.

 

[Cindy in PA]

I also have had production cut in half. My 8 hens were hatched Feb. 22. The started laying good in mid July. Last Friday I had 1 egg. This comes after nearly 2 months of 5-7 sometime 8 a day. Saturday I had 2 and Sunday 3. Its been 3 all week. Now I'm not sure if its a lack of daylight. I estimate there is about 2 hours less daylight today as there was in July and August. I have noticed a few small clusters of feathers from a couple different hens. Not sure if its a molt of they just got rowdy in the pen! They do not appear to look any different. One other variable is I ran out of there normal brand of feed and bought another brand from a different store. Which brings up another thought. I think they go through too much feed. 8 Hens 50lbs in 3 weeks. I feel up a 5 gal homemade feeder once a week. They also free range whenever I'm home at least 4 hours a day and all day on weekends or when we are home.

any suggestions???

Hens should be eating 5 ounces of feed or so a day, so 50lbs. in 3 weeks is about right.

 

[HappyCochin]

I have been feeding mine raw cow's milk and that seems to have helped the production rate as we're shifting into fall. Also yogurt I make with raw goat or cow's milk.

 

[thumper76]

I am having an awful time with eggs as well. I have lots of people wanting eggs and I have 1 in the fridge right now...1! Usually I have 3-4 doz in the fridge. I did cull my flock down and am down to 4 active layers and 4 pullets that should be starting up in a month or so. I was getting 3 eggs a day for the most part this summer but now I'm lucky if I get one. My silver wyandotte and welsummer just turned 1 so they should be laying great but its just not so. I think my RIR is molting as there are dark red feathers all over the yard. Somedays I hate chickens!

 

[nakstk]

I just bought mine Hi Lay 22% protein because I figured out mine hens slowed down do to molting. The day after I got the Hi Lay I got 3 eggs. In the last 30 days there has only been 7 days with 3 or more eggs. Most have been 2,1 and 3 days of 0 eggs. Hoping the Hi Lay helps them regrow their feathers easier.