Hens not laying at all

[patsfan]

At the begining of last summer I had about 30 hens. Some were given to me and were laying already, and some I had bought in April of that year. I was getting 11 or 12 eggs a day. All of a sudden, toward the end of the summer, they just quit laying. For months we did not get any eggs at all. Then during a very cold spell we got 10 eggs in a couple of days. Then after that, one a day if any. Recently we had been getting one a day pretty regularly. We thought that if we got rid of some, they might lay better. We got rid of almost half. Still we got one a day. Then we got rid of about 6 or 7 more and then, no eggs. The second group to go had my one layer in it. It has been about 2 weeks and no eggs at all. We keep them supplied with laying pellets and give them cracked corn every day. They get watered every day also. I have wormed them and there are no signs of mites. They have plently of space and laying boxes. I also have a rooster in with them. If anyone can help me figure out what is going on, I would sure appreciate it. I can't afford to feed them if I can't get anything out of them. Thanks.

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Only thing I can think of is that they've stopped laying during the winter and with a little more patience they may start up again soon now that spring is on it's way. I've kept a heat lamp on my 10 hens all winter and have never stopped laying. Also could some of them be molting or have molted? Cause that can stop them from laying for 2-3 months sometimes.

 

[gckiddhouse]

When mine stop laying, I switch them over to a higher protein feed. Either flock raiser or chick starter crumbles. I do this in hopes of helping them get through their molt faster and healthier. They will stop laying during molts (which you can't always see) and when the days are shorter. I don't know anything about cold, cause I live in Phoenix, but I do know that scratch (or cracked corn as you are giving them) helps to keep them a little warmer.
Are any of your chickens just young pullets that haven't started laying yet?
I have also heard of hatchery birds that don't lay well or are internally laying. I had one of those.
It is definitely a mystery... and a frustrating and expensive one, at that.
Hope they start laying for you soon.