- Feb 13, 2012
- 30
- 1
- 22
HI Everyone, I read the post about the usual reasons chickens stop laying.
I couldn't really find an answer to what is going on with one of my girls. I have 5 hens, and on March 1, 2013 they all turned 1 year old. I feed them a locally produced feed, they free range in my fenced back yard, and I give them greens from the kitchen as goodies. They get plenty of fresh clean water and I clean their bedding weekly. They also have access to oyster shell and grit.
Since they were about 5 months old, they started laying. From August until mid February I got 4-5 eggs a day. By the way the breeds are white Leghorn, Light Brahma, RR, Plymouth Barred and Ameraucana. We had a heat lamp on for part of the winter in their coop when it got really cold- 15 degrees or below.
They have now all slowed down a bit- I'm getting 2-3 eggs a day; although it's been much warmer than usual this time of year. The problem is my Ameraucana, Moa. She completely stopped laying mid-February. She is eating the same, drinking the same, still comes when I call her name, chases the whiffle ball with the rest of the girls and seems to be in the same good condition as the other hens, but she hasn't laid an egg for 6 weeks! Is this normal for this breed? Do they just stop laying for part of the year?
None of the girls molted this year, and they have all resumed taking a dirt bath in the empty garden, all together. There hasn't been a big fright that I am aware of- they just ignore the dogs as the dogs ignore them. (Yorkies and German Shepherd-they are always monitored when outside with the girls) We've only had a light dusting of snow since February...after a moderately snowy winter.
The only thing I can think of that is different is that my husband and I went on vacation for a week right around the time she stopped laying and a neighbor watched them....but he's watched and fed them before, and we didn't have any problems. They just aren't allowed to free-range when he watches them since he's worried they will fly away when he's watching them. He leaves them in the chicken run and checks their food, water and collects eggs. He said there were no problems.
So, we've been home for 5 weeks and still no pretty blue-green eggs from Moa.
Someone told me that hens only lay a certain number of eggs a year- but do they just stop for a few months then start up again?
Thanks for any comments.
I couldn't really find an answer to what is going on with one of my girls. I have 5 hens, and on March 1, 2013 they all turned 1 year old. I feed them a locally produced feed, they free range in my fenced back yard, and I give them greens from the kitchen as goodies. They get plenty of fresh clean water and I clean their bedding weekly. They also have access to oyster shell and grit.
Since they were about 5 months old, they started laying. From August until mid February I got 4-5 eggs a day. By the way the breeds are white Leghorn, Light Brahma, RR, Plymouth Barred and Ameraucana. We had a heat lamp on for part of the winter in their coop when it got really cold- 15 degrees or below.
They have now all slowed down a bit- I'm getting 2-3 eggs a day; although it's been much warmer than usual this time of year. The problem is my Ameraucana, Moa. She completely stopped laying mid-February. She is eating the same, drinking the same, still comes when I call her name, chases the whiffle ball with the rest of the girls and seems to be in the same good condition as the other hens, but she hasn't laid an egg for 6 weeks! Is this normal for this breed? Do they just stop laying for part of the year?
None of the girls molted this year, and they have all resumed taking a dirt bath in the empty garden, all together. There hasn't been a big fright that I am aware of- they just ignore the dogs as the dogs ignore them. (Yorkies and German Shepherd-they are always monitored when outside with the girls) We've only had a light dusting of snow since February...after a moderately snowy winter.
The only thing I can think of that is different is that my husband and I went on vacation for a week right around the time she stopped laying and a neighbor watched them....but he's watched and fed them before, and we didn't have any problems. They just aren't allowed to free-range when he watches them since he's worried they will fly away when he's watching them. He leaves them in the chicken run and checks their food, water and collects eggs. He said there were no problems.
So, we've been home for 5 weeks and still no pretty blue-green eggs from Moa.
Someone told me that hens only lay a certain number of eggs a year- but do they just stop for a few months then start up again?
Thanks for any comments.
