My 19 mos old RIR hens have quit laying

[ozarkchickadee]

My RIR hens went through a fall molt in Nov (actually stopped laying completely at 17 mos). Not one egg ! I have wormed them, upped their protein with soybean meal (the get egg crumbles & scratch & free range during the day). My other batches of RIR's layed up into the 5th year & never slowed down (maybe a bit) during molts & layed year round, no problem. My 5 mo old RIR have started laying. I'm puzzled , can anyone help ? Thank you in advance.

 

[RavenEh]

Do you have lights? Maybe it's a seasonal thing? I know the past ones haven't - but each bird is different. Also have you checked for fleas or ticks?

Are they otherwise healthy (good coloured combs, shiny feathers, acting normally, etc)?

How many aren't laying - is it just one or a bunch?

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

It is the time of year. During the winter months hens often stop laying until the daylight increases. It is a light thing, the increased dark hours signal to the hen to stop laying. Even chicken is different, I do not know why your hens before always layed, unless you had an artificial light. But I have one Barr Rock that is still laying despite the lack of light and the rest have stopped.

 

[ozarkchickadee]

No artificial lights. I haven't dusted for mites but no fleas or ticks. Their feathers are all back in & they are otherwise healthy , happy chickens. All the hens quit laying one by one. My 5 mo old birds started laying last week & this morning I got one egg which looks like one older bird has started laying again ( the egg is larger & lighter colored). A friend of mine has dozens of chickens of different breeds (some mixed breed) and said her hens may slow down in winter but hasn't had them stop completely (she has NO artificial lighting either).

 

[ozarkchickadee]

Update ! All 3 of my younger birds are laying & 2 of the older birds have started laying as well. The 19 mos old seem to have a calcium deficiency (their eggs shells are noticeably thinner & lighter) altho they are getting a balanced egg layer crumbles , scratch grain & daytime free range. Guess I will supplement with oyster shells . Thank you for your help.