Help, they stopped laying!

[kevyrev24]

I have a flock of black Jersey Giants that are over a year old. I have Two roosters over five hens. They started laying in May, laid for about a month and just stopped. No changes to the coop, no changes to diet. I can't figure out what's going on. This is the third generation and I have a new rooster to breed them to, that is if they start laying again.
I also have three Crele Orpingtons, 2-roos 1- hen. They will be 1 year old November first. She hasn't laid either.
The jersey's are not far from being two years old though. I'm more worried about them at the moment. If anyone knows what I can do different or if I can provide more info I'd be most grateful!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The Jersey giants have probably quit to molt for the fall. I have found feeding a higher protein feed than layer, something with 18-20% protein will optimize laying. Jersey giants aren't an egg laying breed, they are dual purpose. The source and breeding behind your birds will determine their production abilities. Any of the fancy Orpington colors are bred for color first, so their production won't be high either.

 

[kevyrev24]

Thank you so much for the info. I did raise Jerseys' in the past few years and they seemed to almost always lay on and off. They even laid all through the winter. Had some eggs freeze in the coop before I could get home from work to get them!
I'm not sure what it looks like when they molt. I have noticed that there is lots of feathers in the run everyday. It's almost like a predator snuck in and got one,I take count and we are good. So is this molting? I mean it's alot of feathers but I suppose they replace them well because I don't have naked chickens running around. If so I will up the protein to help them.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Many hens molt slowly, so that's normal, hard molters aren't common, especially in dual purpose breeds.

It sounds like your jersey lay like my large breed cochins. I swear some lay 10 eggs a year, laying 2 and taking two months off in between. It can help to keep some egg producing breeds to offset the big lazy ones. I like Ancona.

Upping the protein will also help them molt faster and easier.