Hens not laying

[The Ricker]

I have 5 Light Brahmas hens that have been good layers. We went out of town for over a week and had them cared for by some of our friends. Even before we left we've seen a dramatic drop in eggs. Now we have been back for a week and the hens are not laying at all. None!
Please help, need advise on this.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

It is the time of the year. The lack of daylight signals to the hens that it is time to lay less. In a few weeks, you should start getting eggs again. It largely depends on the chicken, some will not begin laying again until March.

 

[Happy Chooks]

If they ran out of water, it would affect egg production. Eggs have a high water content.

 

[The Ricker]

Thank you for you help.

 

[The Ricker]

I have provided clean water everyday for the hens. Don't see that as the problem. Thanks though.

 

[Happy Chooks]

How old are they?

 

[azygous]

Practically everyone with hens in the northern hemisphere are seeing less eggs or no eggs from their formerly dependable layers. We are currently in the week out of the entire year with the least amount of daylight. Ten hours of daylight just is not enough to stimulate the egg producing hormones of most hens. Granted, there may be a few hardy "winter" layers, but they're the exception.

Out of nineteen hens in my flock, I have but a single hen laying eggs, and she's a new layer. I have three other "new" layers who haven't begun to lay yet because the amount of light is not sufficient to stimulate egg production hormones.

If you absolutely require eggs from your hens before the days begin getting longer again, try installing a 40 or 60 watt bulb set on a timer to come on two hours before sunrise. You should get eggs again within two weeks.

 

[The Ricker]

I am going to let the hens go through their cycle and will wait till the spring to see if they will start laying again. Thank you for the help.