no eggs

[justinepfeiffer]

I have four speckled sussex hens that we bought as chicks in April. One of two of them started laying late summer. They have completely stopped laying for a couple months now. We have a light that comes on in the morning to give them 14 hours of light but still no eggs. Any ideas? Increase the time on the light?

 

[chickens really]

I have four speckled sussex hens that we bought as chicks in April. One of two of them started laying late summer. They have completely stopped laying for a couple months now. We have a light that comes on in the morning to give them 14 hours of light but still no eggs. Any ideas? Increase the time on the light?

Diet and nutrition.......What all do the consume daily.......?



Cheers!

 

[theoldchick]

14 hours should be plenty of light to induce egg laying. As mentioned make sure the diet is up to par. Other things to think about is you have an egg eater or something is stealing eggs from the nest: aka rats or snake.

 

[aart]

I have four speckled sussex hens that we bought as chicks in April. One of two of them started laying late summer. They have completely stopped laying for a couple months now. We have a light that comes on in the morning to give them 14 hours of light but still no eggs. Any ideas? Increase the time on the light?

Welcome to BYC!

When, and how, did you start using the light?
14 hours is plenty, but it can take a few weeks(3-6) for it to kick in......
....provided they have good nutrition as mentioned and there are no other stressors at play.
Do you free range?
Where are you located?
Putting your location in your profile can help folks give better answers/suggestions, as it can offer critical information.

 

[justinepfeiffer]

Thanks everyone! I think we may be giving then too many kitchen scraps. I'll try eliminating that for now. No other stressor right now in play. There was a fox that got one of them in the summer but we moved their pen and they go out and move around without fear so I think they're recovered. We live in Maryland and they are in our side yard. We are going to do more to enclose their coop for warmth. The light I have on is a heat bulb so they're getting a bit more heat that way.

 

[chickens really]

Thanks everyone! I think we may be giving then too many kitchen scraps. I'll try eliminating that for now. No other stressor right now in play. There was a fox that got one of them in the summer but we moved their pen and they go out and move around without fear so I think they're recovered. We live in Maryland and they are in our side yard. We are going to do more to enclose their coop for warmth. The light I have on is a heat bulb so they're getting a bit more heat that way.

Everything you have decided to do sounds great.....


Cheers!

 

[aart]

Thanks everyone! I think we may be giving then too many kitchen scraps. I'll try eliminating that for now. No other stressor right now in play. There was a fox that got one of them in the summer but we moved their pen and they go out and move around without fear so I think they're recovered. We live in Maryland and they are in our side yard. We are going to do more to enclose their coop for warmth. The light I have on is a heat bulb so they're getting a bit more heat that way.

Is it a red heat bulb?
Red light won't work for supplemental winter laying light.......and heat lamps are very dangerous and unnecessary.
Make sure you have plenty of ventilation...closing up the coop to 'hold heat' is not good for them.

 

[chickens really]

Others that have no or zero idea on COLD should allow others to recommend heat.......Try and be a Chicken in -24 with wind chills at -40 Celsius.....Its is bitter COLD......

Anyways.....Personal Choice.......I run heat, my hens laid 8 eggs out of 10 hens.....Temp is -24 celsius today with a Wind chill of -40......Happy Healthy Hens.....



Cheers!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My chickens experience extreme temperatures too. -20 with -40 wind chills plus, all in Fahrenheit. Winters are long and hard. No heat lamps here.

Hens will stop laying sometimes after a cold snap. Young birds lay through the winter, though not always steady. There are too many fires from heat lamps. They aren't worth the risk.

From my understanding of providing extra light it needs to mimic daylight as far as it slowly being increased until the 14 hours are reached. Lighting can have negative affects and can cause molts out of season. Done improperly lighting doesn't always work.

This is a slow period for production in most hens. Expect them to increase in early spring as daylight begins to increase. I don't mess with lighting as I think it isn't worth the time and electricity. I have never had a chicken freeze to death either even with a west facing doorway that never closes.

 

[dekel18042]

My chickens experience extreme temperatures too. -20 with -40 wind chills plus, all in Fahrenheit. Winters are long and hard. No heat lamps here.

Hens will stop laying sometimes after a cold snap. Young birds lay through the winter, though not always steady. There are too many fires from heat lamps. They aren't worth the risk.

From my understanding of providing extra light it needs to mimic daylight as far as it slowly being increased until the 14 hours are reached. Lighting can have negative affects and can cause molts out of season. Done improperly lighting doesn't always work.

This is a slow period for production in most hens. Expect them to increase in early spring as daylight begins to increase. I don't mess with lighting as I think it isn't worth the time and electricity. I have never had a chicken freeze to death either even with a west facing doorway that never closes.

X2 There are so many sides to this question on what is best. If chickens lay less in winter their bodies are getting a needed rest and perhaps they will lay longer once they start up again.
I have an insulated coop with vents and have never had a problem. I also choose cold hardy breeds. Some of the most chicken deaths from two winters ago were in the south in heated coops. When storms knocked the electric out, the birds weren't acclimated and died.
I was talking to someone just yesterday who does provide heat and she mentioned that her chickens refuse to leave their coop in the winter, even on nice days. Mine are out and about in most kinds of weather.
One thing I am careful about is to make sure they have fresh (not frozen) drinking water available at all times and in the coldest weather they get a morning meal of hot mash with cut up fruit and an evening snack before they go to bed of corn and black oil sunflower seeds. This protocol seems to be working well.