No Chickens Laying

[Gyppopsyl]

I have 27 hens of differing breeds. And I am absolutely stumped. I am getting hardly any eggs. Sometimes 1, sometimes 2 and sometimes none. I bought 10 shavers recently and the first day they laid 5 eggs, then after that less and less and today I didn't get any eggs from any of my chickens.
It's Winter here in New Zealand, and some of my hens are moulting, but that doesn't explain why I'm getting the number of eggs that I am. If anyone can please help by giving advice, I would be extremely grateful.

 

[PatrickRoo]

Actually, since it's winter, that may be the explanation. You see, most hens begin laying in the spring, then when winter falls, they usually stop laying for the year.

 

[PatrickRoo]

Not very often do hens lay all through winter.

 

[Gyppopsyl]

I have friends who also have chickens, but theirs have continued to lay (albeit less) throughout Winter. Is that just luck for whether your chickens continue to lay?

 

[PatrickRoo]

I have friends who also have chickens, but theirs have continued to lay (albeit less) throughout Winter. Is that just luck for whether your chickens continue to lay?

It may be the molting process as well. Hens cannot lay until they're done with their molt.

 

[junebuggena]

Several different factors at work. Hens that are new to an environment usually shut down production till they are settled in. They may lay for a few days after arrival, but those eggs were already in the works. Once settled in, they may resume production or they may not start back up till spring.
The molting ones aren't laying because it takes a lot of protein and energy to get through a molt. Their systems simply can't handle the demands of laying in addition to molting. They may resume laying once they finish molting, or they may not start till spring is on the way.
The reason that winter affects egg production is due to the decreased daylight. Chicken ovulation is directly tied to the amount of daylight the birds are exposed to. Once that amount of daylight drops to a certain amount, production ceases. As the days begin to lengthen as spring approaches, production will pick back up.
Basically, a lull in laying is completely normal and even healthy. Make sure your molting hens are getting enough protein and be patient. You are near mid-winter. In a few more weeks, days will start to get longer and laying will start to resume.

 

[junebuggena]

I have friends who also have chickens, but theirs have continued to lay (albeit less) throughout Winter. Is that just luck for whether your chickens continue to lay?

Probably a flock of young pullets that had just started to lay towards the end of summer or early fall. You have to time new additions to the flock just right for winter eggs. Get your chicks too late in the year, and they won't give you eggs till they are 8 or 9 months old and spring is coming. Get them too early in the year and they could be affected by the drop in daylight and start molting.

 

[Gyppopsyl]

Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better. I was really getting worried about them.