Hens not laying

[WildCHILD400]

It is winter here in Michigan and I have two hens who have stopped laying completely. They have a heated perch and waterer and a heat lamp witch is on from 11-12am on the weekends and 3:30-6:30pm during week days. They get great food! can anyone help!

 

[MillieBantam]

Most of our hens have stopped laying for the winter even thought they live in great condition, waterers refilled daily, heated coop, fresh, dry, clean food, and they get let outside veryday. it's really strange, we have 19 hens but we average around 4-6 eggs. We were getting almost 16-17 in the summer, it's so weird!

 

[featheredplanets]

Some hens do tend to take breaks in winter with the shorter days, not as much light. They should start up laying again next year. You can give them a life of luxury, silk blankets and gold feeders but as long as the day light is minimal, you won't see many, if any, eggs. That's why some use supplemental lighting.

 

[The Phantom]

Mine are all done laying for the winter

 

[8 Chicks 1967]

yep, I have very spoiled ones here. Light has more to do with it than heat and also it's natures way of not wasting energy on eggs when it's very unlikely to produce a successful outcome. From freezing eggs to poor turn out in offspring. I even have supplemental lighting and my pullets say NO!

 

[junebuggena]

It's all about the amount of daylight. The good news is that the solstice is just a few more days away, and then the days will start to get longer again. The gradually increasing days is what will trigger the hormones needed for egg production to start being produced again.

 

[steve232]

Yep its the shorter days and probably good for the chickens to take a little break. On the up side though this week I am seeing a slight increase in my egg production. Most of mine have finished their molt and looking good now.

 

[aart]

It is winter here in Michigan and I have two hens who have stopped laying completely. They have a heated perch and waterer and a heat lamp witch is on from 11-12am on the weekends and 3:30-6:30pm during week days. They get great food! can anyone help!

How old are your birds?
Not sure the point of the heat lamp(red or white?) only being on for those few hours.

 

[Patinas]

I have 19 hens and all of them have pretty much stopped laying. On a good day I might get two eggs but the norm is now zero or one. I may actually have to buy eggs!! Egads!
My egg customers keep asking for eggs but they're so rare now I don't want to share! lol

 

[Soleil_A]

don’t use a supplemental light. it messes up the chickens and when you take it away your chickens will get really sick.