No eggs for 3 months

[smurray2]

I have kept chickens for 25 years. I understand breaks in egg laying. I have 14 hours of light for my 9 hens. I have never gone 90 days with not a single egg. I have 5 araucana's 2 buff orps, and 2 just chickens. Any suggestions? I also have a tom and hen turkey in the pen (L shaped 20'x35' with inside roosting/nest boxes).

I'm about to give up on my chickens........

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Could they be taking extra time off due to age? Could you have an egg eater? The Tom?

I have had a really slow winter also. I had a dog attack, that combined with most molting I went from 18 eggs a day to zero for almost 2 months.

 

[wastintime202]

So sorry! But don't give up on all chickens. With 25 years experience I know you can get them going again. And maybe bring in some new breeds this summer. Like Barred Rock ( mine have layed all winter) and red sex link ( there again, short break for molt and laying again) and old standard always makes the egg basket look full, the Rhode Island red. Gl and hang in there!

 

[ECBW]

I am 4 yr into keeping BYC. The lone original cast is not laying since last fall. The younger ones resumed producing after 6 to 10 weeks off.

You probably already considered this, but are yours too old?

 

[smurray2]

I recognize they slow way down, but with 9 hens shouldn't I get 1 egg per day? Every other day?? I have spent $40 on feed and not one egg.

Can anyone tell me what kind of light they use? May my compact fluorescent isn't bright enough. I'm willing to try a searchlight if it would help.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It really only needs to be bright enough to read a newspaper by at roost height.
Don't feel bad, I had 26 hens and not 1 egg for over a month. Anything stressing them like predators?
When did they molt?
What are you feeding them?
Constant fresh water during daylight but I'm sure you knew that.

 

[smurray2]

The have constant clean water (heated bucket) and no predators.