My chickens stopped laying

[MollyB276]

I live in Southwest GA, its getting dark earlier, and about 3 weeks ago one of my girls was broody for about a week. I have only had one egg in 2 weeks laid by my only cream legbar, the other 5 haven't laid a thing. They are 10 months old. Yesterday I started turning on a light in their coop about 5am since the sun isn't coming up as early. They have a high calcium feed, and an oyster shell dispenser. They have clean water. They are spoiled a$$ chickens. Any ideas?

 

[goatsnchickens77]

They might be getting ready to molt. My girls are molting right now and I haven't gotten eggs in a couple weeks

 

[MollyB276]

Thank you, I thought they were to young to molt.

 

[jencrom]

I'm in the same boat. My 8 hens stopped laying about a week before Hurricane Irma. I thought it had something to do with the drop in pressure. Just this week 2 of them have started laying but thats it. No sign of molting and, like yours, mine are very spoiled. I've upped their protein and calicum but nothing....

 

[aart]

Thank you, I thought they were to young to molt.

Ehhhh....not too common but not unprecedented for 9 mo and up to molt.

Hopefully your light is on a timer for consistent 'day length'.
Even with light, can take up to 6 weeks for the light to have an effect, they may still molt.

Do you free range?

They have a high calcium feed,

What is 'high calcium feed'....protein and calcium percentages? Takes more than just calcium to make an egg. Any other foods given?

 

[MollyB276]

They spend the day in a run, because the neighbors dogs arent always contained. I let them out for a few hours in the evening, but not long enough to lay elsewhere. So is it necessary to turn the light on if molting is the problem? I just leave the light on til the sun comes up.