Is this normal? Laying stopping

[Armstrt8]

I have 7 chickens and they are approx 15 months old (aside from toothless who is about 6 months). Im in Central MN and its getting a little cold now. This spring my egg production was 5-6 a day. Now its 1-2. Most chickens did molt over this past month or so. All except toothless and Bertha have had their combs turn very pale. The "mood" in the coop is just different now too... when I go in they don't come running up like normal.

They've got food, water, oyster shells, snacks.. im not sure whats up... or maybe they are just old now? My poor chickens just don't seem happy

 

[Hei 20]

I have 7 chickens and they are approx 15 months old (aside from toothless who is about 6 months). Im in Central MN and its getting a little cold now. This spring my egg production was 5-6 a day. Now its 1-2. Most chickens did molt over this past month or so. All except toothless and Bertha have had their combs turn very pale. The "mood" in the coop is just different now too... when I go in they don't come running up like normal.

They've got food, water, oyster shells, snacks.. im not sure whats up... or maybe they are just old now? My poor chickens just don't seem happy

 

[Ridgerunner]

Totally normal. Hens that age should molt in the fall and stop laying while they regrow feathers. They are living animals and you can have exceptions but that's typically what they do. The molt itself may last a month or it may last a few months. That's controlled by genetics, each is different. That's about how fast the feathers fall out much more than how fast they grow back after they fall out.

Some hens will start laying again whenever they finish the molt, whether that's the middle of winter or later. Some will wait until the longer and warmer days of spring before they start laying again.

I see you are in Minnesota so the days are pretty short. That can have an effect on how many they lay if they do start up again. With the shorter days they don't have time to eat and digest as much so they may not have enough nutrition to make an egg a day. Also severe heat or cold can cause them to lay less. There are reasons they tend to lay worse in winter.

15 months is not old for your chickens. They are molting to refresh their bodies. When they start up again they should lay like gangbusters. It's just part of the natural cycle of laying and molting.

 

[Armstrt8]

Totally normal. Hens that age should molt in the fall and stop laying while they regrow feathers. They are living animals and you can have exceptions but that's typically what they do. The molt itself may last a month or it may last a few months. That's controlled by genetics, each is different. That's about how fast the feathers fall out much more than how fast they grow back after they fall out.

Some hens will start laying again whenever they finish the molt, whether that's the middle of winter or later. Some will wait until the longer and warmer days of spring before they start laying again.

I see you are in Minnesota so the days are pretty short. That can have an effect on how many they lay if they do start up again. With the shorter days they don't have time to eat and digest as much so they may not have enough nutrition to make an egg a day. Also severe heat or cold can cause them to lay less. There are reasons they tend to lay worse in winter.

15 months is not old for your chickens. They are molting to refresh their bodies. When they start up again they should lay like gangbusters. It's just part of the natural cycle of laying and molting.

Thank you so much

 

[lizo97]

@Ridgerunner I have one EE 7 months old and she was laying every other day, then stopped. She is not molting. My chickens free range in my yard and we have checked everywhere for hidden eggs! Is there a way to tell if she is laying? Her comb does get red every week, then becomes pale. Is there a way to look at their vent to see if they have been laying? I heard a moist stretched out vent is one way, but I still can't tell. Her vent is stretched, but I cannot tell if that is from laying in the past.