Molting

[jolheiden]

I have 52 chickens and since June 1 they have dropped their egg production down to either 5 to 11 a day. It is October 21 and they are still doing it. There are feathers everywhere. I am not for sure what happen to them. Can food do this? Our store had a sale on 18% feed and I bought a whole bunch and it seems like since I did this they went into molting mode. I have since raise it to 22% egg producting supplement and still the same. Please help me. Can it take 4 months to molt?

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Egg production drops during molt, AND it takes fourteen to sixteen hours of light for hens to lay eggs, at least consistently. Right now in Michigan we have about twelve hours of daylight, not enough. I have a small light in the coop on a timer, started last week, from 4am to 8am every day. Soon I'll set it to start at 3am.
My birds were producing two to four eggs daily, and today six eggs! It will take weeks to max out their winter production (and they have just finished that fall molt) so things will be looking up.
You can leave out the morning extra lighting, or add it for more eggs all winter. Some of us do it each way.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

Assuming you aren't supplementing light, chickens typically don't resume laying after molt until daylight length increases again.

 

[aart]

How old are these birds, in months?
If they are over ~14 months old you are likely seeing an annual molt.