Hens completely stopped laying

[brittanygrace89]

So I have a couple of questions here and I’m hoping yall can help me!

I’ve had chickens for a couple years now but never had troubles in the colder months until this newer batch I got in spring. I have a RIR and Barred Rock that haven’t laid in almost two weeks. My Ameraucana hasn’t laid in about 4 weeks and I believe might be molting?? I went out today and her fluffy, shorter feathers are all over the place. she was hatched in February 2018 and I thought this was too soon for a molt. Then I have a speckled Sussex, oliver egger, and lavender orp that was hatched in May 2018 that haven’t even stared laying. I live in Michigan. Does this have anything to do with the cold and time change? We didn’t have a smooth transition in temps. We went from warm to pretty cold, fast. My khaki Campbell and mallard that were hatched in July are not laying yet either. My only layer is my isa brown.

They eat 16% layer pellets, mealworms, scratch and I give them oatmeal on colder mornings. I’ve also been giving them 2-3 extra hours in the morning and night with a brooder balb in the coop.

 

[llombardo]

My two older girls hatched March 1, 2018, they started laying in July. My younger 4 hatched April 23,2018. My female khaki hatched Feb 23, 2018--started laying in July. The two Indian runner girls hatched July 20, 2018. All are laying daily except the two runners. We went from decent to winter over night..crazy weather. I did put a light in the run and in the coop recently(because of my work schedule) but they were still laying daily before that.

 

[twilightgecko]

i live in upstate NY and all 3 of mine stopped laying about 3 weeks ago.. colder weather, shorter days and they all went into a molt.. after they molt, i might get random eggs thru out the winter months, but i don't count on it.. i don't extend their daylight hours for eggs, i figure they need to rest and put their energy into growing feathers..

 

[brittanygrace89]

i live in upstate NY and all 3 of mine stopped laying about 3 weeks ago.. colder weather, shorter days and they all went into a molt.. after they molt, i might get random eggs thru out the winter months, but i don't count on it.. i don't extend their daylight hours for eggs, i figure they need to rest and put their energy into growing feathers..

Thank you. I have never put light on them up until recently because I’m just trying to see what could be going on. Have you heard much about chickens possibly molting early? Like I feel my ameraucana started but shrank only 9 months old ‍

 

[twilightgecko]

some molt as soon as they feel the weather change in the fall, and they molt so slowly you barely notice.. but then they can go thru an aggressive molt and drop so many feathers they look bare in spots.. usually in spurts tho.. like all the neck feathers drop, then nothing for a few days.. then all their tail feathers..

also when they molt, i give them lots of protein.. like egg yolks.. they love it..

 

[brittanygrace89]

some molt as soon as they feel the weather change in the fall, and they molt so slowly you barely notice.. but then they can go thru an aggressive molt and drop so many feathers they look bare in spots.. usually in spurts tho.. like all the neck feathers drop, then nothing for a few days.. then all their tail feathers..

also when they molt, i give them lots of protein.. like egg yolks.. they love it..

Okay, thanks for your help! I’m hoping she’s just molting and it’s not anything else. I just didn’t expect it because she’s only like 9 months old.

 

[aart]

Does this have anything to do with the cold and time change?

Has nothing to do with temp or time change,
has everything to do with the shortening daylight hours.
Time change doesn't actually change the duration of hours of daylight,
only when they are recorded on our clocks.
Molting can happen anytime after summer solstice when the days begin to shorten as the sun moves farther south on the northern hemispheres horizon. I always have a few early molters around the first week of August as the sun starts to speed it's descent, and some wait until now to start molting. Usually birds do not have a full adult molt until about 18 months of age, but some younger birds will do a partial molt their first fall/winter.