no eggs

[Rabid rabbit]

I have three chickens, 2 about 8mos. and one that is 10 mos. . We just came through a very hot summer. We lost 4 hens due to the heat, but the older hen, had laid before the heat and the new girls, but isn't laying now. My husband is voiceing his displeasure and saying we should get rid of these and get some new ones. As you know, after having some for a few months, naming them, and babying them, getting rid of them is not the issue. Any advice, these are my first chickens and this is all new to me.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I have three chickens, 2 about 8mos. and one that is 10 mos. . We just came through a very hot summer. We lost 4 hens due to the heat, but the older hen, had laid before the heat and the new girls, but isn't laying now. My husband is voiceing his displeasure and saying we should get rid of these and get some new ones. As you know, after having some for a few months, naming them, and babying them, getting rid of them is not the issue. Any advice, these are my first chickens and this is all new to me.

My brama did this to she stopped laying right as it got cold out.

 

[Emma_Bruffy]

They are probably getting ready to molt, give them some extra protein and dont be surprised if they start going bald. They will be back to normal In the spring.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

If they were old hens I would say maybe it's time to get fresh blood, but with hens so young your husband, quite frankly is being impatient and impractical. Less daylight hours, stress, molting, nutrition all play a large role in when a hen lays. Your hens went through a VERY stressful summer where they went through physical stress from heat and mental stress from lost flock mates. Your hens are right around molting season. Your hens are being affected by the dwindling daylight hours and this is the time of year when some hens stop laying not starting back up until early spring.

 

[Tonyroo]

What breed of chicken do you have?

Some breeds don't lay in winter unless there pullets. But that correlates to the laying ability of the breed also.

 

[aart]

I have three chickens, 2 about 8mos. and one that is 10 mos. . We just came through a very hot summer. We lost 4 hens due to the heat, but the older hen, had laid before the heat and the new girls, but isn't laying now. My husband is voiceing his displeasure and saying we should get rid of these and get some new ones. As you know, after having some for a few months, naming them, and babying them, getting rid of them is not the issue. Any advice, these are my first chickens and this is all new to me.

Some pullets will lay thru their first winter, some will not.
They may have a partial molt around the neck.
It's all about the shortening days, they need so much light to stimulate the hormones that are needed to produce eggs.

FYI-PSA.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
-Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
-Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is always a good thing to note.