I'M SOOOO OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!! what are your opinions?

[so lucky]

I don't know for sure, but maybe the light on all night would be unhealthy for them--stress producing? Could you put it on a timer, so they would get 14 hours of light per day? Like have it go on at 5 AM or earlier.

 

[CarolynF]

You said you recently put them in with the older hens. That's a big stress maker. They're getting used to a new home and the pecking order is being re-established. I'd suggest being patient until all that is sorted out. Plus controlling the lighting so they get about 14 hours, not all night. Good luck, and keep us up-to-date so we can all learn from your experience. It's great to know what solutions people find.

 

[AlabamaChickenLady]

Well that right there is the cause of the egg laying to stop...... you moved them to a new coop. The egg laying will resume when they feel more comfortable in their new home.

The light being on all night is also a big change for them. They don't need the light on all night. Maybe you could hook the light up to a timer so it will come on and off by itself. With the light on all night, they may be getting less rest and that could also be causing them stress.

Hope this helps you out.

 

[chickschool]

I don't have any certain answer but I can share with you my own LIMITED experience. My hens were laying fairly regularly last fall until late October and then nothing until April. It's fine with me as they are more pets than anything else. However, this fall it cooled down as usual and things were fine but then for the last 10 days the temps. have spiked up into the 80's and they not only stopped laying but decided to become broody. I know that the breeds you have don't normally do that but if you've had any unusual drastic temperature changes have something to do with it...just a thought.

 

[Taylor]

Quote:
The old hens are now gone, i sold them, and i cleaned the coop very well and put them over in it. i hope it is all that is making them not lay. LOL but what is the reason they ceased laying in their old coop??? from 14 eggs to 2-3 eggs??

 

[ChickenAl]

Sounds like something is stressing them. Check for worms, mites and the like. Our six are still laying six a day. They were born in March too. Do you leave oyster shells out for them? They may not have enough calcium.

We feed ours Countryside Organics with a 10% supplement of ultakibble. Grit and oyster shells are free choice. They free range for an hour most days or we give them greens. We do give them treats, but not to the point of ruining their appetite for their feed.

Does seem odd you are not getting anywhere near the amount of eggs you should be, even at this time of year. The lack of production in the summer makes me think there is something stressing them from the get go. Would not be surprised if mites or some other parasitic thing wasn't going on.

If you keep on looking for the answer you will find out what is causing this. Don't give up.

 

[nanawendy]

Could they be hiding them??? or a egg eater????

 

[dixieland]

Sounds like stress......My girls perceive any change whatsoever as a large, earth-shattering event...So we try to keep everything as boring and unexciting as possible and that helps a ton!!!

 

[Taylor]

i use to feed them oyster shell, but not recently. i don't think their eating them. and an UPDATE: today i got 4 eggs, still not good.