Possible 'henopause'?

[aart]

Quote: That explains it, thanks.

It seems that French physicians are as bad as French bicycle manufacturers; they have to do everything different!
Language has gone thru many changes in many different cultures.

 

[Fizzybelle]

I might give her some soluble vitamins. Thanks for the advice though everyone, I'll try to update her progress should anything change (like she does go into a molt) and continue to monitor her.

 

[aart]

I might give her some soluble vitamins. Thanks for the advice though everyone, I'll try to update her progress should anything change (like she does go into a molt) and continue to monitor her.

I wouldn't bother with vitamins......but I would feed her a higher protein feed to help her grow feathers back faster.

.... She eats a mix of either Jenco layer mash or Watson and Williams scratch mix, and Watson and Williams layer crumble (it's layer pellets but broken up smaller, which my girls like). Plus she free ranges in the yard and gets grass, bugs ect, and any treats I give her (veges, rice and so on). ........

Layer feeds are usually a 16% protein, minimal for egg production.....the scratch and most the other foods are diluting that protein.
I couldn't find a nutrient label online for these feeds, but they should be on the bags.


I like to feed a flock raiser/grower/finisher 20% protein crumble full time to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat. I do grind up the crumbles (in the blender) for the chicks for the first week or so.

The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer. I adjust the amounts of other feeds to get the protein levels desired with varying situations.

Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

Animal protein (mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided during molting and if I see any feather eating.

 

[Fizzybelle]

I always have calcium available, and no signs of molting just yet. When I do see some feather loss then I will give her extra protein, I won't rush into any dietary changes just yet. No egg soft or otherwise from her today though at least.

 

[immel]

I was going to ask this too. We have 14 hens now. 1 is close to 6 years old. The next group there are 5 and they are 3 1/2 years old. Our latest ones are 1 1/2 years old. NONE ARE LAYING RIGHT NOW. Do they sync their mensi's? My goodness!! lol. Are their years over for laying? Thank you guys!

 

[HerculePoirot]

This is interesting to me. My 8 girls seem to be on strike. My two best layers, my Leghorns Mary Louise and Lily, are only laying every other day and everyone else has just stopped. Their vents are fine, they're feathered out, they have ample oyster shells, fresh water and food, which is the Nutrena Feather Fixer at 18%. I'm not sure if it's the change in light levels or the drop in temps or what is going on but they look great. And they're just not laying at all, except for Mary Louise and /or Lily. This has been going on for nearly 3 weeks now. I finally broke down and bought eggs. I was horrified. Any ideas?

 

[HerculePoirot]

I forgot to mention that my girls are now two years old.

 

[immel]

I forgot to mention after noting about our 14 hen not giving any eggs. They do get their crumbles and the oyster shells and the scratch. Not sure why none are laying. I will have to break down and buy eggs also. It's been about 5 years since I've had to buy eggs. ugh. The hens are good for the winter. We keep a heat light on during winter months. They girls have their custom built coop that my husband made for them. Their chicken run is 50ft x 50ft. The coop sits inside that area. They girls have a covered area also so they don't have to be out in the rain. Their waterer is in that covered water area. We put the pvc pipe waterer together that has the nipples they get the water out of. The food we throw out in the yard. The inside of coop has straw covered floor and nesting boxes. We feed them alot of food scrapes. I grew extra food in the garden this year to use for the hens. I'm thinking they are all too old to lay. The youngest ones are almost 2 years old. Maybe they will start up again, but the ones before them that we still have are closer to 4 years old. Tired of feeding these gals if we're not going to get eggs.

 

[HerculePoirot]

My set up sounds like yours. Nice coop with aux. lightening if need be, enclosed run with straw and toys, fresh water, some treats and scratch, and Vaseline for their combs in the winter. They were two in June. What is going on here? They're my buddies though. And don't store bought eggs taste like nothing? Yuck.

 

[rebrascora]

If you are in the northern hemisphere and they have finished moulting your adult girls will probably not recommence laying until the days start to get longer.... the older girls may even wait until spring. Having young pullets, just coming into lay at this time of year is always best to keep the egg supply ticking over. I wouldn't like to say how many hens I have at the moment (at least 30) and I'm only getting 2 or 3 a day and that's because I have 2 pullets that have just started and some younger ones due to start laying soon. Some of my older girls, usually my broody hens that have been raising chicks all summer will come back into lay once their new feathers are in but the others are having a rest and that's fine with me. If I wanted them to churn out eggs like machines I would factory farm and cull at 18 months, but that's not what I want for my girls. They will start again when they are ready.

Really just want to say that what you are experiencing is pretty normal.

In autumn, they moult and then take time off and many don't come back into lay until the days start getting longer. The thing to bear in mind is that these girls only have so many eggs in their system...a finite number. If they lay every day without time off, they will eventually run out of eggs if they don't die first. If you are going to keep them regardless of whether they lay or not ie pets with benefits.... then over their lifetime you will theoretically get that number of eggs either as a more constant stream if you give them artificial lighting etc and push their production but have barren years at the end of their life, or allow them to have a more natural, seasonal rhythm to their laying and perhaps extend their egg laying lifespan. Hope that makes sense.

Regards

Barbara