need help

[pooh731]

My girls have not laid any eggs in awhile. Do they stop laying eggs in the winter time. Should I be worried. And when will they start back again. We bought our first store bought eggs in a year not the same as fresh eggs

 

[citychickx6]

Mine are molting right now. Perhaps yours are as well. Do you find feathers laying around more than usual now?
I have 10 that are a little over a year old and none of them are laying. Kind of a drag but it will pick up again if that is what they are up to.

 

[pooh731]

how long does this process take

 

[americana-lover]

the longest molting can take up to 3 months

 

[citychickx6]

It depends on the bird of course. If they drop lots of feathers fast they should come out of it faster. I have a couple easter eggers that have not layed since July. Not so happy with them as layers. One I do not expect will ever lay again. Her last egg had the ovary with it. Poor girl.
Stress can also affect laying. I have one hen that layed her first egg at 11 months old. That was only after I took some of the more twitchy hens out of that group.

 

[donrae]

Yes most birds stop laying over the winter due to the shorter daylight. You can try supplementing lighting and see if you can force them to start laying again or just ride it out until spring when they start up again.

 

[pooh731]

think you so much everyone on here has been so helpful