hens quit laying

[radochicken]

My neighbors have a little over a dozen hens that are a couple of years old and they use to lay well but have stopped to an egg a day. They have never been around a rooster, so I was wondering if I put one of my roosters in cage and put it in the run if it would make them lay again? Please help.

 

[sourland]

Roosters have nothing to do with a hens laying eggs. It is quite normal for hens that have been laying to take a break and go through a molt during their second season.

 

[radochicken]

I've always heard that in big laying houses they will put roosters in a cage to keep the hens laying?

 

[goodb]

Often times the books don't match life realities.

 

[Hokum Coco]

My neighbors have a little over a dozen hens that are a couple of years old and they use to lay well but have stopped to an egg a day. They have never been around a rooster, so I was wondering if I put one of my roosters in cage and put it in the run if it would make them lay again? Please help.

Roosters have no bearing on egg production.

Have the hens been laying for 10 months or more? Your hens may just be at the end of their laying cycle. If so, they will stop production, go through a molt (loss of feathers), take a break, and start laying again.

 

[Ardizonne]

The hens could be done laying exactly like hokum pointed out (that could be the most educated reason.) A rooster will only make your eggs fertile which is actually good to hatch more egg layers since yours are retiring.