Started laying.... And then stopped

[Murdy]

Hey there! I've got 8 hens at about 5.5-6 months old. 1 or maybe 2 started laying. It was roughly 1 egg every other day up until 5 eggs in 6 days... And now nothing for a little over a week.

It did get quite cold here at the snap of a finger, but it's since warmed up.

Seems strange that a) only 1 or 2 were laying, and b) they've stopped.

Any thoughts?

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hey there! I've got 8 hens at about 5.5-6 months old. 1 or maybe 2 started laying. It was roughly 1 egg every other day up until 5 eggs in 6 days... And now nothing for a little over a week.

It did get quite cold here at the snap of a finger, but it's since warmed up.

Seems strange that a) only 1 or 2 were laying, and b) they've stopped.

Any thoughts?

Days are getting shorter. Out of my nine chickens only one is currently laying and she will probably stop soon and then I will most likely get no eggs until January when the days start getting longer.

 

[Murdy]

All of my breeds are known to be winter hardy though, and are known to lay Theodore the winter months. Most notably the one(s) that I think started laying.... Icelandics.

Days are getting shorter. Out of my nine chickens only one is currently laying and she will probably stop soon and then I will most likely get no eggs until January when the days start getting longer.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

All of my breeds are known to be winter hardy though, and are known to lay Theodore the winter months. Most notably the one(s) that I think started laying.... Icelandics.

Yeah, a few of mine are supposed to be good winter layers, but I guess they don’t know it and they decide to take a break along with the other girls

 

[Murdy]

Well then.... Time for some supplemental light in the coop. We'll see if that helps.

Yeah, a few of mine are supposed to be good winter layers, but I guess they don’t know it and they decide to take a break along with the other girls

 

[MykaMom]

Hey there! I've got 8 hens at about 5.5-6 months old. 1 or maybe 2 started laying. It was roughly 1 egg every other day up until 5 eggs in 6 days... And now nothing for a little over a week.

It did get quite cold here at the snap of a finger, but it's since warmed up.

Seems strange that a) only 1 or 2 were laying, and b) they've stopped.

Any thoughts?

What are your light levels? My late spring girls haven't laid at all yet. In the past, I've had them start laying in late fall, then winter light levels cause hormones to drop. This is my first mixed flock. Two production Reds look to be coming into lay, no one else does.

Look at their combs and droppings, they're indicative of where In the laying cycle they are. Combs should be intensely red, droppings should be round and firm.

What breeds do you have? This too will govern what you can expect and when. Some are great Winter layers, others are done until spring peeks out.

 

[Murdy]

What are your light levels? My late spring girls haven't laid at all yet. In the past, I've had them start laying in late fall, then winter light levels cause hormones to drop. This is my first mixed flock. Two production Reds look to be coming into lay, no one else does.

Look at their combs and droppings, they're indicative of where In the laying cycle they are. Combs should be intensely red, droppings should be round and firm.

What breeds do you have? This too will govern what you can expect and when. Some are great Winter layers, others are done until spring peeks out.

Well... I have 1 west and 1 east window in the coop, so light is ok I think.
The 3 icelandics are the only ones with combs so far... I wouldn't say intense red, but nice and pink. I also have a white chantecler, 2 americauna/EE, and an orpington.... Oh, and a barnyard cross.

Pretty tough to decide who's poop is who's... But some of it is definitely round and firm.

 

[MykaMom]

By light level, I mean length of time they have day light and if you augment with artificial lights, lol.

There's pros and cons to adding light. Breeds that don't typically lay in colder months should have that rest, their biology is geared for it.

Plus with young girls, they're not regularly laying yet anyway.

 

[Murdy]

As we're approaching our winter months, sunrise to sunset is roughly 12 hours.
I wonder if maybe I should just let nature do her thing for this year and let them all mature in time for the warmer months. But the impatient side of me wants eggs! Haha

If I do add light... 16 hours/day?

 

[aart]

sunrise to sunset is roughly 12 hours.

Well, they were at the equinox in Sept, shorter now.

If I do add light... 16 hours/day?

At max, 14 is enough.
Here's a pretty good article on supplemental lighting.

our winter months

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