I’ve got a bit of a problem

[Thebossbaby]

ok, so. My chickens will be 1 year old this April. They just started laying about 5 weeks ago. I have 9 hens and at first I only got 1 or 2 a day. Then I got 7. And it has veried between 6 - 7 eggs a day every day since then. And all of a sudden, one day earlier this week, I got only 2 eggs, then 1 egg the next 2 days, and now the last 3 or 4 days I have gotten 2 or 3. Why did they suddenly slow down? It didn’t get colder until yesterday, and today is the coldest it’s been in a while. But before then it was perfectly normal. What should I do to try and jump start them again? And btw I can’t add a heat lamp. My parents won’t let me run an extension cord through the yard

 

[MissChick@dee]

Doesn’t state in your profile where your at but if it’s winter it is not uncommon for chickens any age to slow down or stop. Your birds more likely than not will get in full swing with egg laying till this spring. Familiarize yourself with what egg binding/bound is. Google and learn what it is etc. it’s handy to know.
As long as your girls are eating and drinking and have normal behaviors I would not worry.

 

[WindingRoad]

ok, so. My chickens will be 1 year old this April. They just started laying about 5 weeks ago. I have 9 hens and at first I only got 1 or 2 a day. Then I got 7. And it has veried between 6 - 7 eggs a day every day since then. And all of a sudden, one day earlier this week, I got only 2 eggs, then 1 egg the next 2 days, and now the last 3 or 4 days I have gotten 2 or 3. Why did they suddenly slow down? It didn’t get colder until yesterday, and today is the coldest it’s been in a while. But before then it was perfectly normal. What should I do to try and jump start them again? And btw I can’t add a heat lamp. My parents won’t let me run an extension cord through the yard

When they first start laying things can be erratic. Their system is still working on producing. Egg #'s will vary day to day. Are you feeding them a high protein diet. 18% at least 20% would be even better. And OS for egg hardness. If they don't look or act sick or in distress then it's just probably getting everything worked out the in laying department. On a side note you should be checking crops morning (should be empty) and at bed time (should be full) just to catch any crop issues early. Good luck.

 

[Criticalicious]

Be glad they're slowing down. It's good for them to take a break periodically. Breeds that don't stop often die younger. Do you see extra feathers in the coop or run? If they're molting, they will stop laying until the feathers grow back.

Heat doesn't determine laying - light does. As the days get longer, they should start laying again. Give them time, assuming they aren't egg bound. If they've just started, as WindingRoad said, laying may be erratic for the first month or so.

 

[wyoDreamer]

X2 All the above is really good advise.
Also, is there something different about their environment? My friends chickens suddenly slowed down laying like that and she set up a game cam and found out the neighbors lab was checking out the run every morning after she went to work. He wasn't trying to get in, just sniffing around the fence and then leaving.

 

[Joeschooks]

Some good advice here already, but if daylight hours are short where you are I wouldn’t be at all concerned. They need a break. I have 13 layers and from mid November until Christmas Eve I got not one single egg. All of a sudden I got 3 on Christmas Eve. It’s like they knew it was Christmas! I’m getting a steady supply again now.

 

[WindingRoad]

Some good advice here already, but if daylight hours are short where you are I wouldn’t be at all concerned. They need a break. I have 13 layers and from mid November until Christmas Eve I got not one single egg. All of a sudden I got 3 on Christmas Eve. It’s like they knew it was Christmas! I’m getting a steady supply again now.

I guess I have been lucky only about 8-10 days since I got my BO and ISAB back in August have I been without any eggs. Some days only one but that was rare also. Then around T-Day I got my 2 SLW 16 weeks at the time. They started laying about 2-3 weeks ago. 22 weeks. Right around the end of December. Now I am getting 3-4 eggs most days. I think luck does play a role too. It also depends on the breed of chicken. If you have a breed that lays only 180 eggs a year that means they don't lay for the other 180 days (round figures here easy math) Those days can be all in a row or spread out. Just depends. Look for illness before you worry. If they are lively, eating, drinking, and pooping they will start again when they are ready.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Also, don't worry about heating your coop. Chickens really don't need it as long as the coop as adequate ventilation and minimal drafts, they will be fine.
Just think of how warm down blankets are, and chickens get to wear them all the time!

 

[aart]

Why did they suddenly slow down? It didn’t get colder until yesterday, and today is the coldest it’s been in a while. But before then it was perfectly normal. What should I do to try and jump start them again?

Could have been the temp drop gave them pause.
Do you free range?
Just wait...make sure they have thawed water and lots of good feed.

How cold is it?
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Thebossbaby]

When they first start laying things can be erratic. Their system is still working on producing. Egg #'s will vary day to day. Are you feeding them a high protein diet. 18% at least 20% would be even better. And OS for egg hardness. If they don't look or act sick or in distress then it's just probably getting everything worked out the in laying department. On a side note you should be checking crops morning (should be empty) and at bed time (should be full) just to catch any crop issues early. Good luck.

Yes I feed them 18% protein feed and oyster shells. Their crop is always full at night