stopped laying for the weather

[Hennyhandler]

My chickens have quit laying and I suppose it's the weather. I have had two chickens go through a heavy molt so I know that is why they haven't but the others are not laying at all. The weather has gotten pretyy cold in the last couple of weeks. Last year I still got a few every now and then when winter really began though. I suppose with them being a little older that may play a part in it, yes?

 

[QualityPolish]

Hmm personally I can't answer that question but maybe try putting an artificial light in their coop that might help you get a few. Our Polish are laying fine during the winter, evening adding that they aren't much for layers.

 

[Hennyhandler]

It doesn't really bug me that they aren't laying. I just wanted to make sure that I was right about the reason.

 

[digitS']

Well, it is kind of difficult to know if the weather has had any effect on the hens without knowing what they are experiencing. The only Cullman location that Wikipedia shows is in Alabama.

The weather service shows that this part of the country has been experiencing afternoons with the temperature up around 60°F and the thermometer dropping to about 30° or 32° on half the days so far this month. With some wind and rain, I don't think that the birds should be sleeping outdoors. However, the cold is probably not putting much stress on them.

Right now, your sunrise is about 7am and the sunset is about 5pm. With only 10 hours of daylight, they are really going to feel the effects of reduced light. It probably wouldn't make much difference if the hens were young but you have made it sound like they have gone thru at least 1 winter.

If I'm understanding your weather correctly, I don't really think that the cold is having much of an effect on them. They are well insulated critters and if they are staying dry and out of drafts, they can just increase their feed intake to pick up some more calories.

Steve

 

[Hennyhandler]

They have not been sleeping outside. They are in their coop at night. My chickens are three years old so this will be their third winter. I can see how the daylight hours might affect them. I know that some days with the rain they have gotten wet but what I was thinking was the molting. Some of them have gone through a heavy molt where they are missing a good amount of feathers. I figured this would cause them to have a harder time of it. I wondered if this could be the reason for the reduced eggs but now that you mention it could it be the daylight hours. Could it also be their age? Last year the eggs reduced for a bit but I don't believe it was this long.
My silkie who just started to lay stopped as well. That is why I thought it was the winter weather.

 

[can you hear me now?]

Cold has part to do Qiu it. He other thing is the light. If they don't get so many hours of light a day they will not lay.