Over weight laying hen......

[Triplell]

I have 2 White Leghorns and they both have stopped laying out of 11 others. Basically thier FAT. They all get layer mash then some wet mash with some corn, black sunflower seeds, white millit and some dried mealworms at night. It has been very cold around 15 degrees during the day and then down to -10 at night. I have retro fitted a portion of an old barn we have for my coop. The section is 10ft wide-48ft long and 10 ft tall divided into 3 sections for seperatioins if needed. The hens are able to get to the center of the barn only when the wind dies down and warms up. I have done the best I can in trying to keep the drafts down and heat in. The coop section is usually 10 to 20 degrees warm than the outside temp and the barn isle is around 10 degrees warmer than outside temps as well. Don't know what to do as I have stopped the corn and sunflower as they are blended.
Any info would help, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mum]

Laying hiatus could be due to the time of year; particularly for pure breeds.

If, as you claim, it is due to them being "fat" then you need to pull back on the treats and keep them on layers only. Cold/shmold! These are chickens! Their bodies are adapted to hot/cold weather extremes and their feathers make the difference between suffer or die; not just diet!

Actually, being too warm at a certain time of year can affect their laying just as much as being too hot in the summer times!

Do they free range? Are they getting sunlight on their bodies so they can absorb Vitamin D?

Although it may *feel* cold to us, as humans, chickens have a higher base temperature than we do; they also have feathers to conserve heat during cold times.

If you are concerned they are "fat", do they get a good opportunity for outside exercise? Does their weight affect their mobility? If not, are you sure they are fat and not simply heavily feathered?

If, as I suspect, this is due to breen as opposed to a weight issue, they should come back onto lay Feb/March.

HTH