My hens have stopped laying

[ravingbantha]

This past weekend, my wife and I returned from a 2 week vacation. While we were gone, we had someone who was supposed to come over every day to feed our animals. Since our return our flock has not laid a single egg. Before we left, the production was down to 5 or 6 eggs a day as some of our hens were molting. Others are just coming into the age where they would start laying.

I know the weather is changing and the days are getting shorter, which reduces egg production, but it's been almost a week and not one egg.

I have several reasons to suspect the person we hired did not come over that much to feed our animals. It did rain a good bit while we were gone, so the chickens would have had access to some water, and their fenced in run area is large enough for them to scrounge for some food, but I suspect they went the better part of a week without being fed and watered.

Is their behavior consistent with a lack of food and water? How long should I expect this to continue? What can I do to help them recover and get back to laying?

 

[rjohns39]

With the days getting shorter and if they were not fed, you may have to wait until spring to get more eggs. You can try giving them an 18% grower with lots of oyster shell available free choice to see if they'll start again. I can tell you that when my co-op ran out of feed and I had to switch to a less desirable feed, that in combination with the weather and shorter days triggered a molt and they all quit laying. I've solved the feed problem and still no eggs. Most have told me to expect no eggs until after the winter solstice. I'm hoping my pullets will start soon, but don't have high hopes.

 

[Morrigan]

Stress can cause chickens to stop laying and not being fed would, I suspect, be very stressful. After a dog attack, my birds stopped laying for about a week -- for some of them it may have been longer. So, hopefully your birds will start relax and resume laying soon. Give it another few days.

 

[Morrigan]

Re-read you post again and noticed that it was a TWO week vacation you were on. Not being fed at all for two weeks would be very hard on those birds. They may need some more time to replenish themselves.

 

[ravingbantha]

I know the person I hired came by at least a couple of times, but I don't know how many. I know that based on the amount of feed in the feed storage bin, they weren't fed that much. The rubber water bowels I have for them can last for about 2 days. When it's empty there's some muck at the bottom, because chickens are chickens. When I came back, that muck was bone dry. So I've started leaving one bowl empty to see how long it takes to dry out that much. So far this is day 4 and it's still a bit wet. That leads me to think, the worker may have ignored watering them for a week at least.

 

[rjohns39]

How many birds do you have?

 

[ravingbantha]

About 20 hens all a year and a half to 6 months in age and 2 roosters.

 

[rjohns39]

Given what you've describe, I would offer them a can of pink salmon (juice and all) once or twice a week along with some scrambled or boiled eggs. The salmon is loaded with protein, vitamins and omega-3s, while the egg is only about 12% protein, but has the perfect balance of amino acids the birds need. I'd probably also give them some nutri-drench in their water.

 

[Morrigan]

I'd be really upset with your caretaker. Feeding and watering chickens is about as simple and easy a job as there is. How could they just drop the ball, knowing that the chickens would suffer as a result?

I hope your chickens rebound quickly.

 

[SethJ]

Depending on the breed, I find some will stop in the fall/winter.

My Production reds, RIRs and barred rocks lay almost year round....

My Buff Orphingtons have already stopped for the winter.

Nothing to panic about.

I keep a light on in the coop in the fall and they lay continuously. If the bulb burns out and I dont catch it quick,...the absence of light will make them stop laying almost immediately when the days get short,..and I never have any luck restarting them. Not til spring.