New Member

Date sort Score sort
Chachi

Chachi

Chirping
6 Years
Nov 13, 2013
12
0
70
San Antonio, Tx
My girls are just the best thing I could have done. Currently I have 5 chickens. My biggest concern is they have slowed down in the egg laying. Maurine a Welsummer is my heaviest egg laying and size. She lays a double yolked egg every other week. My biggest concern is that they have bascally stopped laying. I have read that chickens slow down or stop laying during the winter. Any helpful advice on how to start them laying again. My girls are free range and I only feed organic feed. They are the center of my life. Hope to get some great advise from this group.
 
Light is the number one factor for healthy birds to continue laying. Adding a light on a timer bright enough to read a newspaper by at roost height will do the trick. When I do so, I have it come on at 4 AM or on at dusk and stay on for 4 hours. It's better to gradually increase the time.
Healthy chickens also quit laying when they molt. During the molt their reproductive tract gets a much needed rest and overhaul. That's normally the second autumn and every year thereafter. It often seems like they're laying every day and just stop. Usually you'll see feathers everywhere and scruffy chickens but they can do a less noticeable soft molt. At any rate they don't start laying again until the new winter coat is completely grown.
That can take anywhere from a month or the break could be all winter. If they're molting, adding light doesn't help.
Increasing the protein in the diet helps them grow new feathers. That's usually done by switching from layer feed to grower.
The other option is to just let them take a break. When hatched, a chick already has all the eggs it will ever lay in its life.
The choice is whether you want all the eggs the first few years or let them take a break and lay for 10 years or more.
Because chickens die from so many things (predators, disease, etc.) a lot of people choose the former and start over again when laying slows considerably.
I choose the latter because their bodies really do need a break from constant laying.

Another thing I highly recommend when the birds stop laying is to take them off of layer feed right away. The excess calcium intended for birds actively laying can do damage to those that don't need it. Renal disease can create birds that don't lay well or at all. If some of the birds are still laying, providing calcium in the form of oyster shell in a separate container does the trick. Actually that should be provided whether all are laying or just a few.

welcome-byc.gif
 
Last edited:
I don't like the light to be on in the evening because when it turns off they are milling about then all of a sudden it's dark and they have trouble roosting. when using a light I like it to come on in the am and that way they can find there roosting spot in the evening with the setting sun.
Welcome and enjoy BYC!
Steve :frow
 
Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan
big_smile.png


Adding light to increase their day length would help stimulate laying. Best to add light in the morning, and allow them to have a natural twilight to allow them to find their perches and put themselves to bed instead of having sudden darkness. Having a light come on around 4 am will usually do the trick.
 
Glad you are here! I am new as well and this site is a wealth of information and caring knowledgable folks!
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom