No eggs and loss of feathers...

[itshotinjt]

I know it is coming up on winter, but we are in So Cal and had eggs this time last year...My chickens (about 1.5 yrs old) stopped laying. That's it. Nothing. For like two weeks now. Plus, when I go to check for eggs, there is a mess of feathers all over (from all of them). One has a bare butt that is just now getting feathers back. So, any suggestions as to why we have no eggs? How about the feathers? This is new, we never had this problem before. Nights are cool, but not really cold. Yet. Thanks!!

 

[Kittymomma]

A year and a half old is prime time for their first major molt--no eggs and the coop can look like a pillow fight that's went horribly wrong. Perfectly normal.

 

[ams3651]

Just wanted to agree, they are molting. Normal, give them a little extra protein to help the feathers grow back and they will be just fine but it could take a little while.

 

[lauraclaire]

Oh yeah, they're molting! I've got 6 girls around the same age. Their coop looks like the pillow fight to end all pillow fights has been going on and the girls are naked! I swear they look embarrassed and don't want to run out into the yard like they usually do. I've also gone from 4 - 6 eggs a day to 1 - 3

We are trying to sell our house and the girls are in the garage. I have to post a sign on the enclosure to let people know they have NOT been plucked, they're molting!

 

[sgtmom52]

Yep molting ~ I'm going through it right now with my 2 & 3 year olds. When they molted last fall they hardly laid any eggs for about 3 months! I actually had to go buy store bought eggs for my holiday baking

At least this year I have some pullets that just started laying to pick of the slack of the older girls.

 

[schmije]

I agree - molting. My black australorp is my best layer, and a 'big butt' girl. She walked up to me in the yard a few days ago, and she was SKINNY. I thought maybe she was sick until I went into the coop and saw the explosion of black feathers. Her chest is naked, and she looks really rough. I hope her feathers grow back quickly. It's getting cold here.

 

[woodmort]

They're the right age. Read this https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=417329

 

[tuesdays chicks]

your birds did good to hold out more then a year to molt, 1 of mine is 6 months she went from broody where they stop laying to molting I'm hoping this molt coincides with the lenghth of time a broody stops laying for.

 

[crosbygroup]

My leghorn has been molting for almost 2 months now. White feathers everywhere and no eggs. Luckily the other girls are still laying.