Ladies on strike!

[Shblack]

We have seven ladies of various breeds, ages range from just over a year to one that is around four years old. We had been getting 3-4 eggs a day for some time, then suddenly nothing other than one hen seems to be laying every 3 days. They get layer pellets, scratch grains and meal worms in the morning and some more grains in the evening plus kitchen scraps. No obvious health issues though one has started to molt. The only thing that preceded this was my wife and I were quite I’ll with some COVID like crud, and I let the hanging feeder get low one day - they were really hungry when I filled it up. Egg production dried up a couple days later. Are they punishing me? Anything I can do to get things moving again? Had to buy eggs today, hurt my soul.

 

[sourland]

The stress of feed shortage, age of the birds, and shortened day light period have all combined to a break in production. As the day light period increases so will egg production.

 

[aart]

Are they punishing me?

Mine are.
I had six 9mo pullets all laying....changed out the coop bedding and it freaked them out.
Feed consumption went way down for 3-4 days, the eggs about stopped and then they started molting. Of the 3 that weren't phased by the new bedding, 1 went broody and hasn't started laying again yet. So instead of getting 4-6 eggs a day, I'm lucky to get 1.
Thought I had it licked this year, getting chicks at just the right time to have pullet eggs all winter. SMH.

Disclaimer, I do use supplemental lighting.

 

[elanski]

Hello. I'm having the same problem. This is over a longer period of time though so I don't think its just winter season.

Used to always get at least an egg every other day from each of them. But since end of September - nothing. Not a single egg. Last winter they slowed down a lot but were still laying. This year I've had nothing at all. Could there be something wrong with them or have they just reached that age now where they are going to close down for winter? Hens are 3 or 4 years old.

They had a light molt in october and all feathered back up really quickly. So I don't think its because of that.

They have a constant supply of pellets, oyster shell, grit and water. Corn or meal worm treats occasionally. Adding apple cider vinegar in the water on occasion too.

Any ideas?

 

[RebelEgger]

Used to always get at least an egg every other day from each of them. But since end of September - nothing. Not a single egg.

They had a light molt in october and all feathered back up really quickly.

Same thing here. This is our 2 oldest girls second winter. Their vents look closed and dry!

I was expecting our 2 new girls to be laying by now. I’m now suspicious one of the newbies is an egg eater. Checked vents yesterday and theirs looked open and moist. Pelvic spacing is about the same as my oldest.

I’m stumped as to what to do.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hello. I'm having the same problem. This is over a longer period of time though so I don't think its just winter season.

Used to always get at least an egg every other day from each of them. But since end of September - nothing. Not a single egg. Last winter they slowed down a lot but were still laying. This year I've had nothing at all. Could there be something wrong with them or have they just reached that age now where they are going to close down for winter? Hens are 3 or 4 years old.

Age + shorter daylight hours.

At 3-4 years old, I'd expect this to be the norm - not unusual for older hens to have shorter laying periods each year. My older birds stop laying in late summer and don't resume until spring is pretty well here.

I rarely get eggs in winter, so for me it would be more unusual for any adult layer to continue laying at all during short winter days.

If you really want eggs from them you'll need to supplement light.

 

[CrazyCochin]

they were really hungry when I filled it up. Egg production dried up a couple days later. Are they punishing me? Anything I can do to get things moving again?

Had this happen just recently, I as well let (our hens) their big feed Get low. And by the time I refilled it, they were so hungry one wound up choking. Fortunately we were able to unclog her throat, and she is just fine other than going broody. As for a stop in egg production, our girls stop laying to the point where we began to think that someone was stealing our eggs. We had only been getting about two or three eggs a day if lucky.

We also keep a light in their coop during the days when it gets darker earlier. Helps keep their egg laying on schedule. And if their light gets messed up, along with their feed schedule, then we know what happens.

Make sure that your hens stay healthy, make sure they get fed and if daylight is a problem, then you might consider a light.

Hope this helps. @Shblack.

We have seven ladies of various breeds, ages range from just over a year to one that is around four years old. We had been getting 3-4 eggs a day for some time, then suddenly nothing other than one hen seems to be laying every 3 days. They get layer pellets, scratch grains and meal worms in the morning and some more grains in the evening plus kitchen scraps. No obvious health issues though one has started to molt. The only thing that preceded this was my wife and I were quite I’ll with some COVID like crud, and I let the hanging feeder get low one day - they were really hungry when I filled it up. Egg production dried up a couple days later. Are they punishing me? Anything I can do to get things moving again? Had to buy eggs today, hurt my soul.

 

[Lightning Bob]

I find that 1-1.5 hours of light/day in the mornings during the darkest season (now) helps keep them regular, if not prolific. Mine too took much of the fall off. There’s no arguing with biology and aging chickens, though I have one 6 yr old Brahma who still lays one / week or so.

 

[Cluckminster Fuller]

Sometimes chickens just stop laying for a while. A rest, molting, stress for some event. But so far, even after several months, mine have always started up again.

 

[Merrilie]

My 4- 2 yr old girls quit laying about 10-12 weeks ago. Since then, one went through a hard molt and 2 others have molted a bit but that was about a month ago. They get plenty of protein, greens, bugs, etc. Their combs are very pale. Should I be concerned? They seem happy enough, talk to me, and just do chick stuff. The weather has been weird to say the least- 20’s to 50’s. I’m in Maine.