My girls aren’t laying

[LaurasLeonard]

Help. I have 10 girls and 0 eggs for about 4 weeks. I’m in California-it’s been super hot and some of the girls are molting. Feeding additional protein, oyster shell always available, fresh water. They don’t seem sick or acting funny. I’m stumped!

 

[Conan]

How old are your girls? Does your coop have supplemental lighting?

 

[thepick4uchicks]

I don’t think they will lay when they are molting no matter how much extra protein you add to their diet. They are going to close us shop while the molting process bid going on then ride out the rest of the winter and then when Spring comes they will pick back up with their regular laying cycle as before probably when Daylight savings time kicks in again I bet.

 

[Cynthia12]

I agree with the molting..that darn molting. You said some, I also agree with supplement light. I've started my girls on that.

 

[gtaus]

Help. I have 10 girls and 0 eggs for about 4 weeks. I’m in California-it’s been super hot and some of the girls are molting. Feeding additional protein, oyster shell always available, fresh water. They don’t seem sick or acting funny. I’m stumped!

I, too, have a slump in egg production this summer. I live in northern Minnesota, so it's not the heat that I am concerned about. I have 10 one year old chickens and over the summer went from an average of 7-8 eggs per day down to 3-4 eggs per day. I suspect it was their first molt, so I bought game bird feed at 30% and mixed it 50/50 with layer feed. After about 5 days, I just got 6 eggs today. So maybe the extra protein is helping.

I don't do supplemental lights at this time, but might consider it in the future. If you do provide supplemental lights, have them turn on early in the morning to increase the daylight hours.

Also, you might consider what breeds of chickens you are raising. I bought 10 chickens of 10 different breeds. By far, my best egg layer is my ISA Brown, a hybrid production chicken bred for egg laying. My dual purpose breed chickens don't lay nearly as many eggs, but they are fun to have just the same. If I only wanted chickens for eggs, then I'd only buy the hybrid production hens because all my chickens eat the same amount of food, just some girls lay more/better eggs than others.

 

[Cynthia12]

I, too, have a slump in egg production this summer. I live in northern Minnesota, so it's not the heat that I am concerned about. I have 10 one year old chickens and over the summer went from an average of 7-8 eggs per day down to 3-4 eggs per day. I suspect it was their first molt, so I bought game bird feed at 30% and mixed it 50/50 with layer feed. After about 5 days, I just got 6 eggs today. So maybe the extra protein is helping.

I don't do supplemental lights at this time, but might consider it in the future. If you do provide supplemental lights, have them turn on early in the morning to increase the daylight hours.

Also, you might consider what breeds of chickens you are raising. I bought 10 chickens of 10 different breeds. By far, my best egg layer is my ISA Brown, a hybrid production chicken bred for egg laying. My dual purpose breed chickens don't lay nearly as many eggs, but they are fun to have just the same. If I only wanted chickens for eggs, then I'd only buy the hybrid production hens because all my chickens eat the same amount of food, just some girls lay more/better eggs than others.

Great point on the different breeds.

 

[LaurasLeonard]

How old are your girls? Does your coop have supplemental lighting?

Hi. They range from 4yrs - 2 yrs. I have never tried supplemental light. I kinda like just letting nature take its course. My concern is illness - but no signs of anything.