Help! My Wyandottes have stopped laying!

[ssteiner]

I have four chickens, all about 9-10 months old. One Partridge Rock and three Wyandottes. About 2+ weeks ago, we here in Southern California were hit with a brutal heat wave. Day after day of temps between 95-105 degrees. This lasted for about 10 days and then broke and gave us 2 or 3 days of more moderate temperatures, mid-80's or so.

Anyway, in the week or two before this heat wave began, all three Wyandottes went through a period of broodiness, during which time, no eggs. Then, as this heat wave began, I noticed my girls just stopped laying. Chalking it up to the heat wave, I decided to just keep an eye on the situation. Well, now only the Partridge Rock is laying. All three Wyandottes have stopped. One of the Wyandottes appears to be molting, with feathers everywhere, everyday.

What's going on?

Thanks.

Scott

 

[Sissy]

Welcome to BYC and to all my neighbors LoL
left there 8 yrs ago.
if your birds are in molt they wont lay,
But I have a misting system 25ft. along one side of their run for a cooling down .I also use a little hot pepper flakes in a feed cup free choice. It helps them to lay. Got that info from a chix farmer.

 

[Katy]

This is the time of year with shortning daylight hours that a lot of hens slow down in their laying and/or start to molt. It's a natural thing for them to go thru.