Help! My Hens aren't laying!

[albchickenfarm]

I have a flock of 8 hens who haven't been laying. I know that one of them is still a pullet (appx. 5 1/2 months) and the rest are 14 months and should be laying fine. They were laying fine until a couple weeks ago. I have been getting about 1-2 eggs per day now. I am feeding them egg layer and they are supposed be some of the best layers. Is something wrong? I have also heard that yogurt helps them get back into laying cycle. Does it truly work?

 

[albchickenfarm]

I read the article and they aren't molting and they aren't that old (14 months). Any other thoughts/suggestions on how to get them laying again?

 

[cverba]

That's quite a few chickens that aren't laying!

I'm fairly new, but I have some thoughts:

Are they free range? If you can't find hidden eggs, maybe keep them in the coop for a while (few days) to see if the'll lay or eat their layer food instead of the natural food.

Do they have worms or ticks/fleas? That can influence the whole flock.

What is their calcium source? Are they eating oyster shell? Kale? Spinach?

Vitamin D deficiency may not allow much calcium (vitamin supplement might help).

Good luck!!

 

[albchickenfarm]

Thank you very much for the input! They aren't free range and I don't think that they have fleas or ticks, but they may be low on any calcium. I think that may be one of the problems.
Have you ever heard of feeding them yogurt? If you have, do you know if that works?
thx.

 

[cverba]

Yogurt has calcium so it won't hurt. Just don't give them too much because it'll give them the runs.

My girls won't eat fresh yogurt... it has to harden more like cottage cheese before they'll eat it. But if they do eat it wet, I hear it's a mess!

 

[Bullitt]

I read the article and they aren't molting and they aren't that old (14 months). Any other thoughts/suggestions on how to get them laying again?

Molting can take place just about any time. The first adult molt is just most common around 16 to 18 months.

They may be molting.

 

[albchickenfarm]

Yogurt has calcium so it won't hurt. Just don't give them too much because it'll give them the runs.

My girls won't eat fresh yogurt... it has to harden more like cottage cheese before they'll eat it. But if they do eat it wet, I hear it's a mess!

Thank you. So will like vanilla or plain yogurt from the store work?

 

[albchickenfarm]

Molting can take place just about any time. The first adult molt is just most common around 16 to 18 months.

They may be molting.

They may be molting, but I don't see very many feathers in the coop. But they are around the right age for molting. Thank you

 

[cverba]

Don't give them anything with sugar additives. Just plain yogurt if you are going to give them some. Or try the cottage cheese. And they don't need a lot... I also wouldn't give it to the ladies every day.

 

[Bullitt]

Here is some information on molting.


http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-help/What-is-molting-H107.aspx

"Birds can go through either a hard molt or a soft molt. A hard molt means all the feathers are lost almost at once so molting is over relatively quickly. A soft molt means the feathers are lost and regrown gradually. Sometimes you may hardly notice a soft molt, except as a reduction in laying. Molting takes a few weeks or more, depending on the "hardness" of the molt--it can seem like a hardship when you don't have delicious fresh eggs!"