RIR Not producing for 4 days now....

[Phins Fan]

Morning all,

We currently have 3 rhode island hens that stopped producing all together. They have been laying a solid 2/3 eggs daily for the past month and now nothing... No change in diet or treats. We have been a bit cooler up here in the northeast the past week but I wouldn't think cool enough to halt production.

Any suggestions are apprecited. ...

 

[jolly wattles]

Molting perhaps? Half my flock just started and production halted.

 

[FrankHomestead]

Morning all,

We currently have 3 rhode island hens that stopped producing all together. They have been laying a solid 2/3 eggs daily for the past month and now nothing... No change in diet or treats. We have been a bit cooler up here in the northeast the past week but I wouldn't think cool enough to halt production.

Any suggestions are apprecited. ...

Could be getting close to molting, could be taking a break.

 

[Phins Fan]

No signs of molting yet. They "take a break"? The only change in anything that I can tell is the weather but as I mentioned it's not like it's dead mid winter yet.... also forgot to mention it's been 4 straight days with no production

 

[FrankHomestead]

No signs of molting yet. They "take a break"? The only change in anything that I can tell is the weather but as I mentioned it's not like it's dead mid winter yet.... also forgot to mention it's been 4 straight days with no production

Yes they will take a break sometimes, especially if they are getting ready to molt because their bodies need all the protein they would otherwise put in their eggs. they molt in autumn so that is right around the corner.

 

[FrankHomestead]

You may not get any eggs for several weeks if that is the case.

 

[jolly wattles]

No signs of molting yet. They "take a break"? The only change in anything that I can tell is the weather but as I mentioned it's not like it's dead mid winter yet.... also forgot to mention it's been 4 straight days with no production

They will slow or break prior to any signs of molting. Have you checked under feathers for pin feathers?

 

[Phins Fan]

Well turns out they decided to give me 2 today. Went out and checked em about 20 minutes ago and there they were.

 

[Dawnclucks22]

Have you searched your yard to see if they made a "secret nest"? My girls used to do that all the time.

 

[chicken4prez]

No signs of molting yet. They "take a break"? The only change in anything that I can tell is the weather but as I mentioned it's not like it's dead mid winter yet.... also forgot to mention it's been 4 straight days with no production

Yes chickens do take a break. My friends chickens took a 3 month break and then started laying again. Yours probably won't take that long but they do stop one in a while. I have 23 laying hens so I don't really notice a break at all.