My girls aren't laying!

[colincrompton]

So our flock of 8 chickens as of recently are barely laying any eggs at all! We've made sure that they have proper food, oyster shells, and water, but we almost no eggs. Occasionally we'll get 2 or 3, but thats about once a week. We have 2 Amerucaunas that haven't been laying for a long time (they are both two years old) and then a 2 year old Australorp, Rhode Isalnd Red, and Wyandotte. We also have a 1 year old wyandotte and 2 one year old Barred rocks. Can anyone offer some advice? On a side note, one of our amerucaunas sleeps in the nesting boxes (she's been sick for a while and is unable to balance on the roosts.)

 

[Sustained]

Perhaps, the shorter daylight hours and dropping temperatures? My hens are still doing fairly well but my grandparents hens have almost completely dropped off. They have a mixed flock, I have Barred Rocks. I'm sorry I don't have more/better advice but I'm sure someone with more chicken knowledge will stop by. Good luck!

 

[Sustained]

I just ran across this link about hens not laying. hope it helps!

http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/20763/pnw565.pdf

 

[Happy Chooks]

They are likely molting. They cannot lay eggs while molting, as they need all of their energy to grow in new feathers. This is why many of us hatch every year, so we have pullets starting to lay when the older hens are molting.

The ones that are not molting will slow down with the shorter days, so you won't see as many eggs from them.

 

[colincrompton]

Perhaps, the shorter daylight hours and dropping temperatures? My hens are still doing fairly well but my grandparents hens have almost completely dropped off. They have a mixed flock, I have Barred Rocks. I'm sorry I don't have more/better advice but I'm sure someone with more chicken knowledge will stop by. Good luck!

Probably not, As it doesn't get that cold here.

 

[colincrompton]

They are likely molting. They cannot lay eggs while molting, as they need all of their energy to grow in new feathers. This is why many of us hatch every year, so we have pullets starting to lay when the older hens are molting.

The ones that are not molting will slow down with the shorter days, so you won't see as many eggs from them.

I would say it's that, but they've already molted this winter , and non of them show signs of molting anyway.

 

[Happy Chooks]

How long ago did they molt? Molting takes several months. Even after they get their new feathers in, they need to get their weight back up.

 

[aart]

Shorter days...supplemental lighting or go without eggs until after winter solstice.

If one bird is sick, the others might also be sick and just not showing symptoms.