NOT in the CA fire zones but chickens won't lay

[IamRainey]

We're in NO danger, I'm very happy to say, but we haven't seen the sun in about a week because of the haze. I can look directly at the sun at midday. And we smell the smoke.

As I said, we're in NO danger but my chickens have effectively stopped laying. I have 9 mature hens. 4-6 eggs a day used to be typical. We're currently getting 1 or 2. I've had 3-egg days. I've also had 0-egg days.

I'm a LUCKY woman. My chickens are safe. No issues of having to evacuate or worrying about how to do it with chickens, a dog and a cat. I HAVE chickens and still have a 3 dozen eggs since there are only 2 of us to consume what they lay. I just wonder if stress or the smoke or the fact that it looks like dusk or a rainy day all day is causing them to go on strike.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

This time of year many hens are starting to shut down, or they have shut down to molt. Are you seeing feathers yet flying about?

 

[IamRainey]

This time of year many hens are starting to shut down, or they have shut down to molt. Are you seeing feathers yet flying about?

Only everywhere. But I don't remember such a sudden shutdown in past years.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Only everywhere. But I don't remember such a sudden shutdown in past years.

How old are they? Every molt year is a bit different here.

 

[IamRainey]

Three years, 2 years, 1 year and about 20-25 weeks.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The older they get the less they lay generally. Your young ones should start up in the next couple of months. Here I'm only getting about 5-10 eggs daily out of about 50 mature hens.

 

[IamRainey]

Really!

I guess I've been very lucky. My girls have been pumping them out pretty consistently up to this point. Previously I gave away dozens every week.

Anyway, thanks for giving me some perspective.

 

[IamRainey]

How long are mature hens biologically able to go without laying an egg?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Years or forever. Some go into henopause earlier than others.

In nature hens only lay for a month or two, and only to make a clutch of eggs for hatching. We have bred them to lay more, and to not go broody. So each breed and individual is different in her laying patterns, and how long she lays or doesn't lay.

Hens also are only using one ovary. So if something happens to damage it, than they won't lay anymore, and they may become more masculine.

 

[IamRainey]

How very interesting! Thanks!