Help! My Chickens have not laid eggs in several Months~

[Rammy]

I had all my hens stop laying completely one winter after a hard moult. Never had happened before. I found some info on it I think on the internet and put up lights on timers, got some Super Layer Pellets 22% protien to mix with thier scratch, and started putting apple cider vinegar in thier water. In two weeks they were laying again.
Now in the winter, I do that but I dont use the vinegar anymore. Once it warms up, I put them back on 16% layer pellets. I get the Dumor brand. They seem to like it.

 

[ARose4Heaven]

In addition to getting them on a high protein diet, try sprinkling a bit of hot pepper (like they have at pizza hut) on their food. It warms up the innerds and stimulates egg production

 

[MauryGrimm]

I live in a cold climate (-22 just the other night) and my chickens free range as much as possible. In the winter months I feed them greens and herbs I have foraged and dried or cook up a mash of alfalfa pellets so they have a warming breakfast. I add layer feed and scratch. I also give them fish kitchen scraps, mealy worms, etc., for the protein they need during molt. This year I have seen my girls recover quickly and one-by-one they are laying, eggs.

 

[Brawley Leigh]

Hello everyone! I know that molting and often the winter time can hinder the laying of chickens but this has been going since the end of October or before that they quit laying. I have many different types of breeds, one or two roosters possibly, I think one at least, the rest, about 30 maybe, all hens, almost a year old. We got them all last spring, had been laying at the end of summer and then quit. I saw them molting and figured, OK, makes sense, plus we had a lot of roosters that some of y'all helped me figure out we had that we took out of the mix. It had gotten cold too, so I figured and the time change. But I figured they would have started laying again by now.

We put a light in they're laying nesting area and leave it on 24/7; put it in there almost a week ago but that still hasn't seemed to help. We feed them cracked corn and house scraps (egg shells, bread, veggies etc.) We were feeding them laying mash, but I had read on here or on Facebook backyard page/group that a woman said feeding them cracked or whole corn and a light had her chickens laying again in a week or less. I tried that and still nothing.

Any suggestions or help? Any and all would be greatly appreciated!!!

And turn off the light. Their bodies need rest time to recover from molting, winter AND malnutrition. Give more protein and a good layer feed/pellet. A great protein “treat (not intended to replace layer feed)” is Grubbly made in USA, it’s dried grubs. Also fresh, clean water. Let them rest and recuperate.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Ohhhhh....I see now! Sorry about that.
So what are the overall protein and calcium percentages for your mix?

I'm at 40% of the TS layer pellets
Crude Protein (Min) 16.0%
Lysine (Min) .70%
Methionine (Min) .35%
Crude Fat (Min) 2.5%
Crude Fiber (Max) 7.0%
Calcium (Ca) (Min) 3.8%
Calcium (Ca) (Max) 4.8%
Phosphorus (P) (Min) .45%
Salt (NaCl) (Min) .25%
Salt (NaCI) (Max) .75%
Phytase (A.Oryzae) (Min) 227 FYT/LB

50% of the TS finisher crumble
Crude Protein (min.) 15.00%
Lysine (min.) .65%
Methionine (min.) .29%
Crude Fat (min.) 2.70%
Crude Fiber (max.) 5.00%
Calcium (Ca) (min.) .60%
Calcium (Ca) (max.) 1.10%
Phosphorus (P) (min.) .60%
Salt (NaCl) (min.) .20%
Salt (NaCl) (max.) .40%
Selenium (Se) (min.) .30 ppm
Ruminant meat and bone meal free.

And about 10% of the H&H, which is 18% protein
https://handhfeed.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Layer-Pellet.jpg

We also supplement with ACV and slices of garlic in their water.

 

[slackjawedyokel]

Like everyone else said, get them back on regular feed, and cycle the light. Put the light on a timer and make sure they have some "night". At this point, I'd start by giving them 12 hours of sun or artificial light per day. After a week or two, increase one hour per week until you hit 15. They do still need a night cycle.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Is it true that commercial eggs are grown by making the chickens stay awake 24hr with lighting?

 

[aart]

We also supplement with ACV and slices of garlic in their water.

Not sure why the ACV and Garlic.....not much gain and can cause issues like inhibiting calcium absorption and anemia respectively.
Your protein adds up to about 15.7%.

 

[Betsy57]

You can also offer them animal based protein like cottage cheese, scrambled eggs and canned fish. Some hens just don't lay during the dead of winter no matter what you do. Most will start up by March to April. I always feed a higher protein ration to optimize production. Some extras are okay if you feed that higher protein ration. Minimum daily requirements are 16%.

Hopefully you can jump start your hens.

Too much fish may make the eggs fishy tasting. Mine are laying good and a friend's aren't laying much at all. I feed a mixture of high protein feed (flock raiser) along with layer. Several have molted so I always increase the protein. Haven't changed the lights (14 hours). I feed Grubbly worms too as snacks for additional protein. Mine are 2 1/2 years old. 40 hens and getting two dozen a day. Not bad for winter.

 

[RenoHuskerDu]

Not sure why the ACV and Garlic.....not much gain and can cause issues like inhibiting calcium absorption and anemia respectively.
Your protein adds up to about 15.7%.

I'd have to ask the boss. My wife manages that bit. I do security and housing. I seem to recall that the lady who runs H&H recommended ACV, molasses, and garlic. I forgot to mention molasses earlier. There's also a vitamin mix from Tractor Supply, its name escapes me.

Once the open bag of Finisher is gone, I'm going to 4 parts Layer and 1 part H&H, which should put me at 16.5% protein. I'll quit using percentages for my mix because that confuses things.