My three pet chickens not laying for several months now

[Nonon]

I am a beginner of chicken keeping. I am from Sydney Australia, here is summer and my Australorp Heritage breeds are about 1.5 years old. They stop laying all summer this year and brooding and molting. I can think of the reason could be,,,, wet summer ? too much rain ? next door is renovating their house for a year, rats infestation ( resolved by poisoning ), they don't eat the pellets at all so I have to feed them with whole and cracked grains.

 

[aart]

they don't eat the pellets at all so I have to feed them with whole and cracked grains.

This is likely the cause.
Leave the pellets, stop the grains, they get hungry enough they will eat the pellets.

 

[Nonon]

This is likely the cause.
Leave the pellets, stop the grains, they get hungry enough they will eat the pellets.

Thank you for your reply. I tried but they are stubborn and refused to eat anything for a week.

 

[Bonwell]

Thank you for your reply. I tried but they are stubborn and refused to eat anything for a week.

A week? Have you tried using more or less the same type of feed but in crumble form?

 

[Nonon]

I see, I will find a crumbles. I let them to free range before/after my work hours. They are eating the weeds and insects but they hate pellets. I sometimes feed them a cooked mince, tofu, tin corns, tin sardines. Am I spoiling my girls ???

 

[aart]

Thank you for your reply. I tried but they are stubborn and refused to eat anything for a week.

Are the pellets fresh?
Check the manufacturing date on the bag.
Maybe crush it up and soak it in some water.

Am I spoiling my girls ???

Creating bad habits.