How to get hens to start laying again after a molt.

[Choco Maran]

I have a flock of about 35 or 40 hens in the main coop and thet are all in the last stages of molting. Untill molt I was getting about 30 eggs a day now I'm down to about 3 or 4. We do not have skucks are other creater like that around. There was a snake skin in the coop a few weeks ago about I can not see it eating the many eggs a day. My question is : There was a thread a little while back about feeding then peppers or chilis or some thing like that to get them to start lying again. Can someone help me found this thread? Thank YOu Last winter they laid all winter long. I got about 18 to 20 a day last winter.

 

[Judy]

You didn't give a lot of info, like how much space they have and what they eat, any other possible stressors.

I do think there is a good chance that a snake is getting at least some eggs.

What they need more of during a moult is protein, as it takes a lot of protein to grow feathers.

 

[CMV]

Yeah. The pepper thing is an old wives' tale. Not a grain of truth to it.

ddawn is absolutely correct on all counts. You saw one snake skin, but you could have many more than one lurking around. Last year someone posted about catching an egg eating snake. The poster thought they were dealing with one snake, but it turns out they had something like 7 huge snakes when they were all done.

Increase your flock's protein intake. Put them on a grower feed for a couple weeks and have oyster shells available to make up for the calcium that is lacking in grower formulas. BOSS and cat food are good sources of protein, too.