My girls quit laying

[R3bauer]

Hello and sorry for the repeated question. I searched and didnt find anything that seems to match up.
My girls (4 ISA reds, 6 Black Australorps) are almost 8 months and I have been getting about 6-7 eggs consistently up until this past week. Now Im lucky to get 2. The weather took a major shift and its getting cooler. I see no signs of predators or egg eating. I am feeding the a 16% layer feed. They look healthy and no sign of molting. Im at a loss. Any help or advice would be welcome

 

[snow5164]

Hello,
How long do they have daylight?
You’ve checked for mites ?
Any changes around them at all?

We take credit when they lay well ( at least I do !) and we’re confused when they don’t ..... chickens ;(

 

[HenHouse4Life]

Chickens, at least the ones we have, start to slow down when the weather changes. I don't provide any supplemental light or heat to try to boost the egg production back up. I wouldn't worry, it seems perfectly normal.

 

[R3bauer]

Thank you for the responses! They get about 12 hours of light, no mites that I could see. No changes beyond the weather.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Mine have just dropped off laying as well. We had our first week of cool weather, with temps in the 70's, and less daylight. I have four about 7 months old and was getting 3 to 4 eggs a day, but in the past week I got four total.

 

[RWise]

My girls lay when the light is 13.5 hours per day to about 15 or so hours. I run lights in the AM hours to get the girls going early, 13.5 hours is what I use, this keeps enuf girls laying to keep me happy.

 

[JeanetteDunn]

My girls (4 ISA reds, 6 Black Australorps) are almost 8 months and I have been getting about 6-7 eggs consistently up until this past week. Now Im lucky to get 2. The weather took a major shift and its getting cooler. I see no signs of predators or egg eating. I am feeding the a 16% layer feed. They look healthy and no sign of molting. Im at a loss. Any help or advice would be welcome

Look for a chicken snake somewhere around the coop. I thought my girls got lazy and quit laying; and found a 5+ ft snake hiding.

 

[Callender Girl]

My Iowa Blues, Orpington, bantam cochins, Wyandotte and all my runner ducks have stopped laying for the season. Last year, my Blue pullets started laying in December, although their mother quit in October.

My Salmon Faverolles pullets, purchased as chicks in May, have just started laying in the past week. They are clearly out of sync with their flock mates. I have caught Celeste in the act, but found more eggs in the nest box yesterday, so Camille must also have the urge to produce. It will be interesting to see how long production continues.

I don't use any lighting in the coops; I figure everyone deserves a little rest in the winter. Plus, I don't want to collect eggs in the frigid, dark mornings of an Iowa winter.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

It’s that time of year for layers to slow/quit laying. I have 16 layers and I get only 3-4 eggs a day now. Several of my girls are molting and it is dark now before 7:30pm. Time for your friends and family to buy their own eggs now!

 

[aart]

Do you free range?
They might have found another place to lay in range area.

8 month olds may slow down laying, or stop, and might even molt with diminishing daylight.