Moulting and no eggs

[Craigboy53]

Do you have 14 hrs of daylight? If not, add supplemental lighting to achieve 15 hrs. In a week id bet they start laying again.

Yes, they have had 15 hours light through supplementation all winter, a warm white LED.

 

[Craigboy53]

Take 4 deep breaths...
At this point they're 1 year 8 months. I'm sure others have a comment about this but in cold climates it's best to get your chicks in the spring. Otherwise they become pullets in the fall, right during their peak growing time. Then they're in the coop with little sunshine (supplemental light is great but it isn't sun) and this matters a lot when they're growing.
So then their first moult was in the fall & days are getting shorter and shorter. Depending on how cold it got during the moult, their energy would have to be put into staying warm and growing new feathers at the same time. It probably made complete sense to their bodies to conserve energy until days got longer, so no eggs. I know they do fine in the cold but the energy to stay warm has to come from somewhere.
All this is to say don't lose hope. It's really good you've been giving them supplemental lighting to help get them through winter time. Get them outdoors as soon as the sun comes out if you can. I didn't read through everything, but prepare a little space for them to noodle around and be outside. Sunlight is crucial for egg laying.
Once I looked at the timeline it just seemed like the timing was off for optimal development. I'm sure they'll start laying once the weather warms up and it is sunnier. You may always want to give them supplemental morning lighting though if the days aren't very long.
Breathe...and don't put them in the pot just yet.

Okay, that makes sense.....just poor timing! I will extend the morning light a bit, leave the motivational posters up, give them a pep talk, and hope for the best. Spring can’t be that far away, can it?

 

[aart]

Yes, they have had 15 hours light through supplementation all winter, a warm white LED.

Is that light still on?
How many total hours of daylight are they getting now?

 

[Craigboy53]

Is that light still on?
How many total hours of daylight are they getting now?

Yes, the light is still on. I have been adjusting the timer weekly to account for lengthening days, as I know they need their dark period too. They are getting 15 hours light total.

 

[aart]

The first year I used lights a few birds molted in the spring.
I now leave it off until mid December so they can all molt.
Supplementing lighting can be tricky.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I start adding light as soon as daylight dips to 14 hrs. I use a timer to come on in morning and back on in evening for a few hours each essentially mimicking the time of daylight we have in May. We still have reduced egg production in winter but are able to maintain 2-3 eggs a day from 8 hens.

 

[Craigboy53]

Well, we have given up on our three Orpingtons. Only eight eggs since last October.
Yesterday we re-homed them to a woman who lost eight of her flock to a fox.
We picked up three Leghorn chicks, and one Blue Azure chick, five weeks old. Cleaned the coop all out, so new the new ladies are all set to go. Hopefully they will be more productive.
i will update with news as it happens!

 

[Folly's place]

You should certainly see better egg production, once they get started!
Mary

 

[BDutch]

How old

Well, we have given up on our three Orpingtons. Only eight eggs since last October.
Yesterday we re-homed them to a woman who lost eight of her flock to a fox.
We picked up three Leghorn chicks, and one Blue Azure chick, five weeks old. Cleaned the coop all out, so new the new ladies are all set to go. Hopefully they will be more productive.
i will update with news as it happens!View attachment 2214913

I wonder... How old where you’re orpingtons?

My older bantams still lay a few eggs. But I don’t know how many because I have younger hens too. They can stay as long as there are enough eggs and space.

Good luck with the new arrivals.

 

[aart]

I wonder... How old where you’re orpingtons?

@BDutch sometimes you've got to go back to beginning of thread.

Our three buff Orpingtons were a year old in August 2019