MY 2.5 yr OLD EE GIRLS HAVE STOPPED LAYING.

[GARYZZ1]

2 eggs since ThanksGiving,Everything is ok ,nothing wrong just not producing this winter.Any tricks.14hrs of light ,fresh water,treats,foods.ALL the others are laying normaly.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Are they molting or about to molt? or are they over the molt now? At 2 1/2 they are no longer young birds and will slow down as they go into their 3rd laying cycle.

 

[GARYZZ1]

they are done molting from about thanksgiving.

 

[speckledhen]

Some of my EEs take very long breaks, even post-molt. You just have to wait it out.

 

[GARYZZ1]

Thanks,miss the green eggs though.

 

[speckledhen]

Trust me, I know it! Even my younger EE hen took quite a long break for her molt, almost as long as my 5 year old one did.

Two of my three remaining pure Ameraucana hens haven't laid an egg in about a year, though they are almost 5 years old. I do have one 5 year old Ameraucana who is laying about 3 eggs per week, though (thank you, reliable Gypsy!). I do miss the blue and green eggs when they aren't in that daily collection. Seems the older they are, the longer the break they take for molt. And some EEs only seem to lay sporadically in winter anyway, from what I've read on BYC.

I myself don't add any extra light, not after having so many hatchery hens die from internal laying and/or egg yolk peritonitis.Don't want to add to that in any small way whatsoever. And if yours quit even with the light you add, seems that their bodies really need that break. Remember, they are living creatures, not vending machines. Sometimes, the factory just needs to shut down for a bit.