not laying

[SparksNV]

I have 5 hens who are 20 months old, 1 hen who is about 2 yrs old, 3 pullets/hens that are 8-1/2 months old. My 6 older hens were laying just fine until about the beginning of October - then they molted. They now have all their feathers in but still have not started to lay again.

My other 3 younger girls - 1 started laying in late Sept but stopped at the end of October and the other 2 - I got 2 eggs from at the end of October then nothing.

I have not had any eggs since the end of October!

What is going on???

Last year with my first 5 hens I had eggs starting in early November and they laid all through winter.

I feed them Purina Layena, oyster shell is available. They have a light on a timer to give them additional light (it is a cool florescent light does not emit any heat).

They look healthy and act healthy.

Help!!!!!

 

[Jackie B.]

Yup it's bizarre but I know the chicken people I've talked to down south are havng the same issues- all laying this time last year, no one's laying this time this year. WHERE ARE ALL MY EGGS?!!!!!

 

[BarefootMom]

I haven't had any eggs in 2 weeks, kinda makes the egg business hard.

one guy told me yesterday to try warm water... who knows.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My production is way down. It's a combination of light and molting. I wasn't quick to add light because some are still molting.
Feathers are about 95% protein and eggs are a big lump of protein. They can't do both. Feathers are made up of Argnine, Gistine, Histidine, Luecine, Isoleucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylatanine, Threonine, Tryetophan-Tyrosine and Valine.
Another problem is that the stress of molting makes them much more susceptible to parasites and disease. Consider worming now since you're not getting eggs anyway.
Adding protein especially lysine and methionine by providing plain full fat yogurt, canned tuna, cooked beans etc. may help.

 

[Lady TS]

Hello all--it's been awhile since I've been on here, but encountered this phenomenonat the local health food store today and wondered if it was just a local fluke or whether the problem is of a broader range.

We are in NW OH and have had an unseasonably warm winter so far with lots of rain. As in, just last week or so people were out in flip-flops in the mid-to-high 60's the week before Thanksgiving, hanging Christmas lights.

I blogged about it today, but wanted to follow this thread to see how egg production is elsewhere...

 

[SparksNV]

We have had mild weather here until last night with temps in the 20's. But my hens laid all through last year with snow and low temps.

The part that is most perplexing is why did my younger hen stop laying and my other two younger ones laid 2 eggs and stopped?

 

[Lady TS]

Stress maybe?

 

[Fred's Hens]

First year pullets will normally lay right through their first winter. Two year old hens moult in autumn and sometimes do not resume laying until February. Adding supplemental lighting sometimes helps, if they have finished moulting. Many folks just wait until nature takes its course.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Here's a post sharing that laying is up in West Virginia. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=604806

Here, laying has been excellent. Running just about 90% daily laying from two groups of first year pullets. About 80% from second year hens.

 

[flowergirl60]

So jealous of those getting eggs. Two of my three are molting and the third.....well she's been a freeloader since I got her, but I love her and will continue letting her be her.